rape 1 of 2

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 kidnaping
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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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

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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
Homicides, for instance, have dropped by about 12%, and rapes have gone down by nearly 17%. Chantelle Lee, Time, 21 Oct. 2025 Keeler, then 18, reported the attack to police, undertook a rape kit test and found witnesses who saw Cleary that night, per the affidavit. Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 21 Oct. 2025 But an uninspired and shallow story – which includes a rape scene demanded by the studio – hampers his attempts to entice us with a chilling and menacing tone. Rory Doherty, Vulture, 20 Oct. 2025 For a couple of years, the statistics that are coming out show more violence, more rapes, more murders, femicides. Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 20 Oct. 2025 The violence resulted in three deaths, dozens of injuries and 44 arrests, amid multiple incidents of rape, vandalism and arson. Jem Aswad, Variety, 19 Oct. 2025 Top New York Republicans on Friday shut down the state’s Young Republicans chapter after a report revealed leaders in a private group chat praised Adolf Hitler, joked about slavery and rape, and used racist and antisemitic language. Amanda Castro, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025 Murders and assaults in Minnesota dropped in 2024 while rapes and robberies rose, according to statistics released this week by the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Pioneer Press, Twin Cities, 17 Oct. 2025 Later the coroner called Barr back to examine Edwards at the funeral home, where the doctor reported vaginal swelling and blood loss that indicated a rape. Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
The criticism even included attacks on her appearance and calls for her to be burned, raped or strangled. Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025 They are mistreated, raped, killed. Karl Ove Knausgaard, New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2025 The women, prosecutors say, were often drugged before they were raped. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2025 Giuffre claims in the book that she was raped three total imes by Prince Andrew. Ct Jones, Rolling Stone, 21 Oct. 2025 An Arizona biker is on trial facing the death penalty for a 2014 attack that killed one woman and left another raped and wounded. Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 21 Oct. 2025 On Wednesday, the Supreme Court denied an application for stay of execution for Crawford, a Mississippi man convicted of kidnapping, raping and killing college student Kristy Ray in 1993. Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Oct. 2025 Her naked body was recovered about a month later, buried under leaves in a wooded area a few blocks from the rink; the medical examiner determined she’d been strangled with a ligature and raped. Lauren Del Valle, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025 The Spanish baptized the women, providing religious cover for them to be raped. Jason Ma, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rape
Noun
  • Before 1999, violations could lead to a $10,000 fine, two years in prison and losing a liquor license.
    Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
  • The committee has made several allegations against Blain related to public records violations, bullying and harassment.
    Susan Gill Vardon, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In summer 2024, another complaint focused on the classified documents case, accusing the FBI of violating his privacy with the Mar-a-Lago raid and the DOJ of malicious prosecution.
    Kinsey Crowley, USA Today, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The Kelly administration has refused to comply, contending that doing so would be a privacy breach that violates state and federal law because the USDA has indicated the data could be shared with outside groups.
    Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Other times, the mob leaned on more traditional crime tactics — robbery, extortion and assault, including a punch to one victim’s face — to force the card players to pay.
    Preston Fore, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2025
  • He was sentenced to 17 years for armed kidnapping and 17 years for armed burglary with assault or battery.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • There are measures against the energy, military, and financial sectors of Russia, as well as specific targets against those believed to be involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children.
    Callum Sutherland, Time, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Records placed Revak in Wisconsin Rapids at the time of Harm’s abduction, Degase said.
    Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Follow what feels fun and freeing, not forced.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
  • In Wisconsin, the legal bar to force someone into mental health treatment is high.
    Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • That closeness, Peters said, makes Americans prime targets for extortion, kidnapping and terror.
    Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
  • He was sentenced to 17 years for armed kidnapping and 17 years for armed burglary with assault or battery.
    Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 25 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rape. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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