rape 1 of 2

Definition of rapenext
1
as in violation
the act of forcing a person to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse an international law defining rape as a war crime

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in kidnapping
the unlawful or forcible carrying away of a person or animal the legend of the rape of the Sabine women by the ancient Romans was frequently depicted in classical art

Synonyms & Similar Words

rape

2 of 2

verb

as in to violate
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent the defendant accused of raping the victim

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of rape
Noun
Florida has executed a death row inmate for the rape and murder of a stay-at-home mom whose death exposed the vulnerabilities of the 911 system nationwide and led to reform within the industry. Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026 At the time, ICE was attempting to take into custody Walter Roberto Vides-Ortez, who is wanted in his native El Salvador for child rape. Louis Casiano , Bill Melugin, FOXNews.com, 17 Mar. 2026 In the fall, New York’s Republican State Committee suspended a Young Republican organization after the release of a group chat that included jokes about rape and flippant commentary on gas chambers. Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026 Last fall, New York’s Republican State Committee suspended a Young Republican organization following the release of a group chat that included jokes about rape and flippant commentary on gas chambers. ABC News, 17 Mar. 2026 Clemishire says the abuse, including rape, continued through 1987 across Texas and Oklahoma, years before Morris founded Gateway in 2000. Michelle Casady, Dallas Morning News, 16 Mar. 2026 In the Haitian capital ruled by armed gangs, where murder, rape and robberies are common, bestselling author Mitch Albom runs an orphanage that takes in the most at-risk kids. Denise Schrier Cetta, CBS News, 15 Mar. 2026 Hands are stabbed, feet are liquidated, fingers are severed, bodies are impaled (at one point an entire butcher block of kitchen knives has to be used to subdue Todd), an ear and a nose are bitten off, shotgun holes are blown into faces, and prison rape is treated as a parlor game. Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 15 Mar. 2026 Over Your Dead Body is not for the faint of heart, but give or take a rape threat that crosses the line into smug sadism without quite seeming to realize it, the violence lands as more comically cartoonish than horrific. Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 15 Mar. 2026
Verb
Dolores Huerta, 95, who co-founded the United Farm Workers (UFW) Union with Chavez, has accused him of raping her twice. Steve Large, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026 Jurors have awarded $35 million to a Sacramento-area woman raped while in intensive care at Dignity Health’s Methodist Hospital by a former nurse now serving prison time for rapes at other area medical facilities, the woman’s attorneys announced. Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 23 Mar. 2026 Nunez then began raping her while Jones stuffed rocks in her mouth to try to stop her from screaming, detectives said in the report. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 23 Mar. 2026 Valentino, 82, says Cosby drove her to a nearby office and raped her while she was too immobilized to fight back. Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 23 Mar. 2026 Matthews was first reported for drugging and raping a woman in 2020. Annie Joy Williams, The Atlantic, 23 Mar. 2026 The plaintiff, Donna Motsinger, alleged in her lawsuit that Cosby drugged and raped her after picking her up in a limousine and bringing her to his comedy show in San Carlos, Calif. Gene Maddaus, Variety, 23 Mar. 2026 The dueling settlement offers from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oakland and the hundreds of East Bay parishioners who say they were raped and abused by its priests are still separated by at least $90 million — and possibly tens of millions more, court records show. Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 22 Mar. 2026 Fellow civil rights activist Dolores Huerta accused Chavez of raping her in 1966. Irene Wright, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rape
Noun
  • Maricopa County health inspectors cited nine metro Phoenix gas stations and markets for several priority food safety violations during the week of March 2.
    Paige Moore, AZCentral.com, 19 Mar. 2026
  • By Rachel Smith Environmental groups said the state of Colorado is not doing enough to stop ongoing pollution violations from the Suncor refinery.
    Rachel Smith, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • That flashback thread unfolds against the twilight of British colonial rule, as the impending disbanding of the Royal Hong Kong Police Force’s Special Branch collides with the kidnapping of a prominent business tycoon, triggering a dangerous internal power struggle.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
  • In the summer of 2022, members of the Sheriff’s Department in Adams County, Ohio, raided Afroman‘s home with a warrant on suspicion of drug trafficking and kidnapping.
    Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Democrats in Congress have also sought to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, accusing her of directing Immigration and Customs Enforcement to violate the public's constitutional rights in its enforcement actions.
    Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
  • DraftKings might also argue that a temporary restraining order is unwarranted since if the company has violated the NCAA’s marks, a court could later empirically assess damages and issue monetary damages.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 22 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Both suspects have been booked on multiple charges, including homicide, assault with a firearm, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition and carrying a loaded firearm.
    Richard Ramos, CBS News, 24 Mar. 2026
  • In June 2025, trials aboard Turkey’s amphibious assault ship TCG Anadolu, a Bayraktar TB3 unmanned combat aerial vehicle launched from the ship, took control of the PİRANA via datalink, and guided it to its target.
    Munis Raza, Interesting Engineering, 23 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • However, with the investigation dragging on for more than 40 days, Gould said the case does not fit the profile of an abduction.
    Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 17 Mar. 2026
  • In a case last year that raised questions about Noboa's crime-fighting methods, eleven soldiers were sentenced to more than 30 years in prison over the abduction of four children, whose bodies were found outside a military base near Guayaquil.
    ABC News, ABC News, 16 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Staffing shortages have forced some travelers to build in significantly more time before flights – sometimes hours more than usual.
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 23 Mar. 2026
  • The Hawkeyes upset Florida’s offensive rhythm to force six turnovers in the first eight minutes, while the Gators missed numerous scoring opportunities close to the basket.
    Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rape. Accessed 24 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on rape

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster