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
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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
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Recent Examples of rape
Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
In 2024, the Queens native starred in the London production of Lindsey Ferrentino’s eye-opening play, which tells the shattering true story of Nick Yarris, who was wrongfully convicted of rape and murder and spent 22 years on Pennsylvania’s death row.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Four men in Louisiana were charged with rape and murder four decades after 16-year-old Roxanne Sharp was found dead, thanks to a podcast and new DNA technology.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Now 40 years old, Jessica Mann’s first day of testimony at Weinstein’s rape retrial marked her third time addressing a Manhattan Supreme Court jury in six years.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
Mann’s allegation of a 2013 rape in a Manhattan hotel is again up for consideration because of a series of legal switchbacks.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said his office would file a charge of murder against Lawhead, along with two special circumstance allegations for killing Wanner during the commission of rape and kidnapping.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Four men have been arrested and charged in the 1982 rape and murder of 16-year-old Roxanne Sharp — a case that went cold for more than four decades before DNA testing and a true-crime podcast cracked it open.
—Jeremy Mikula, NBC news, 26 Apr. 2026
Willie James Little, 57, was arrested April 16 and charged with second degree rape and first degree burglary, CMPD said in an April 23 news release.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2026
Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 1 May 2026
Prosecutors said Holder, who denied the charge, had been out drinking at a bar with several people — including the woman he was later convicted of raping — in May 2022, according to the Times.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Richard Kielczweski, a Suffolk Sheriff’s deputy and jail guard accused of raping and trafficking a 15-year-old boy, now faces charges of witness intimidation in his case.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
Hitchcock, who was 20 at the time, went to the 13-year-old girl's room and raped her, investigators said.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
She was found in a nearby lake the next morning, raped, strangled and drowned.
—Dan Sullivan, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
The Covington Police Department determined that Sharp was raped and murdered, but officials were unable to make arrests due to a lack of public cooperation and limited physical evidence, making the case go cold for decades until now.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
In December, a German man was found guilty of drugging and raping his unconscious wife over several years and filming the assaults.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
Investigators determined she’d been raped and murdered.
—Ryan Brennan
april 28, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
Noun
Her testimony came after a judge last year declared a mistrial on the count of rape.
—Lisa Rozner, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026
In 2024, the Queens native starred in the London production of Lindsey Ferrentino’s eye-opening play, which tells the shattering true story of Nick Yarris, who was wrongfully convicted of rape and murder and spent 22 years on Pennsylvania’s death row.
—Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2026
Four men in Louisiana were charged with rape and murder four decades after 16-year-old Roxanne Sharp was found dead, thanks to a podcast and new DNA technology.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
Now 40 years old, Jessica Mann’s first day of testimony at Weinstein’s rape retrial marked her third time addressing a Manhattan Supreme Court jury in six years.
—Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2026
Mann’s allegation of a 2013 rape in a Manhattan hotel is again up for consideration because of a series of legal switchbacks.
—ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026
Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said his office would file a charge of murder against Lawhead, along with two special circumstance allegations for killing Wanner during the commission of rape and kidnapping.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Four men have been arrested and charged in the 1982 rape and murder of 16-year-old Roxanne Sharp — a case that went cold for more than four decades before DNA testing and a true-crime podcast cracked it open.
—Jeremy Mikula, NBC news, 26 Apr. 2026
Willie James Little, 57, was arrested April 16 and charged with second degree rape and first degree burglary, CMPD said in an April 23 news release.
—Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
Tollinche has a prior unsealed arrest for allegedly raping a minor in 2025, according to records.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 1 May 2026
Prosecutors said Holder, who denied the charge, had been out drinking at a bar with several people — including the woman he was later convicted of raping — in May 2022, according to the Times.
—Liam Quinn, PEOPLE, 1 May 2026
Richard Kielczweski, a Suffolk Sheriff’s deputy and jail guard accused of raping and trafficking a 15-year-old boy, now faces charges of witness intimidation in his case.
—Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 1 May 2026
Hitchcock, who was 20 at the time, went to the 13-year-old girl's room and raped her, investigators said.
—Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 30 Apr. 2026
She was found in a nearby lake the next morning, raped, strangled and drowned.
—Dan Sullivan, The Orlando Sentinel, 30 Apr. 2026
The Covington Police Department determined that Sharp was raped and murdered, but officials were unable to make arrests due to a lack of public cooperation and limited physical evidence, making the case go cold for decades until now.
—Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 28 Apr. 2026
In December, a German man was found guilty of drugging and raping his unconscious wife over several years and filming the assaults.
—Kara Fox, CNN Money, 28 Apr. 2026
Investigators determined she’d been raped and murdered.
—Ryan Brennan
april 28, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rape
Noun
-
Felicia Anderson, 39, is wanted on a half-dozen criminal counts, including first-degree assault, second-degree assault and weapons violations.—
Alexa Ashwell,
Baltimore Sun,
1 May 2026
-
This is a brazen violation of international law.—
Lincoln Anderson,
New York Daily News,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
At a news conference on Monday announcing Lawhead’s arrest, Placer County District Attorney Morgan Gire said his office will file a charge of murder against Lawhead, along with two special circumstance allegations for killing Wanner during the commission of rape and kidnapping.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
1 May 2026
-
The extended narrative emerges after federal prosecutors announced robbery and kidnapping charges in the case this week, nearly two months after the incident made headlines.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Haines is among more than 1,500 property owners who filed a federal lawsuit arguing the moratorium enacted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention violated the Fifth Amendment by unlawfully denying them compensation.—
Michael Casey,
Fortune,
3 May 2026
-
But after the state complied, white plaintiffs sued, saying the second district drawn with racial goals in mind violated the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Fritchey was initially arrested for first-degree assault.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
4 May 2026
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In March, Jackson was found guilty of first-degree murder, assault of a pregnant individual intentionally causing miscarriage/stillbirth, and felony firearm.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
Noun
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Fritz also reviewed clips of the abduction video that shows Horner placing Athena in his FedEx truck.—
Harriet Ramos,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
28 Apr. 2026
-
But in 2003, Santa Barbara police arrested Jackson on 10 criminal counts, including child molestation, abduction, false imprisonment, and extortion.—
Nina Corcoran,
Pitchfork,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Let things settle, then take one clear step that actually feels aligned and manageable without forcing unnecessary effort or adding extra pressure to yourself.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
4 May 2026
-
Though embedded in society, these young characters are Kaspar Hauser-like figures, spectrally isolated from the signifying world, forced to construct meaning for themselves, from the ground up.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Rape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rape. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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