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
An investigation was started in February 2022 after the first report of rape was made, the police said, adding that Partey is scheduled to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on August 5. Ben Morse, CNN Money, 4 July 2025 Robert Paul Lamb, 36, pleaded guilty to three counts of rape involving a minor victim, the release states. arkansasonline.com, 3 July 2025 Sergio Esquivel-Aguilar, 19, was charged with felony counts of forcible rape, forcible oral copulation, and second-degree robbery, as well as two misdemeanor gun possession counts. Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 3 July 2025 Former Sacramento Kings guard Ben McLemore has been found guilty of rape. Chris Biderman july 3, Sacbee.com, 3 July 2025 Watts was linked to three other rape cases in 2000, 2015 and 2019, the release said. Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 But, while detained on the charge, Bragg was identified by multiple other women in police lineups for numerous rapes perpetrated by an unidentified Black man. Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 The only major crime category not to decrease was rape, which has seen a 20% jump in reported incidents this year. Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 1 July 2025 Even in the case of rape, brave women have given birth to a child whose fault the conception was not. Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2025
Verb
The chatbot had no hands with which to tie her, no body with which to rape her. Lila Shroff, The Atlantic, 14 July 2025 When that man drugs and attempts to rape a woman in his room, Harrison interrupts, coming to blows with the predator in the bathroom. Nick Caruso, TVLine, 11 July 2025 Police officers spoke to the 35-year-old alleged victim who told them she had been assaulted and raped by Romero on July 4. Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 10 July 2025 Fisherman, 39, was charged in December with pinning down a woman as Oren and Alon Alexander took turns raping her in a luxurious Miami Beach hi-rise on New Year’s Eve in 2016. Miami Herald, 8 July 2025 Former University of Kansas and NBA player Ben McLemore has been found guilty of raping a 21-year old woman at a Lake Oswego, Oregon, house party that took place in October 2021, ESPN and KGW8-TV of Portland have reported. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2025 After several women came forward with claims that the musician had raped them, the Bad Boy Records founder denied all of the allegations in a statement to PEOPLE in December 2023. Jordana Comiter, People.com, 2 July 2025 In 2019, a Hamilton County judge set bond at $5 million for a priest accused of raping an altar boy decades earlier. David Ferrara, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 These incidents have drawn comparisons to an infamous 1995 case in which three U.S. servicemembers were convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl on her way home from school in Okinawa. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 26 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rape
Noun
  • The list obtained by the Herald/Times states that his uncle, Denis Alcides Solis Morales, has immigration violations and makes no mention of convictions or pending criminal charges.
    Ana Ceballos, Miami Herald, 13 July 2025
  • Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Department of Emergency Management, helped facilitate the tour and told lawmakers that those with yellow wristbands, the lowest level, had committed noncriminal offenses such as traffic violations.
    Kairi Lowery, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2025
Verb
  • Police can issue citations to self-driving vehicles' registered owners under a variety of circumstances, including if the car violates a traffic law resulting in a collision.
    Sasha Hupka, AZCentral.com, 11 July 2025
  • According to a spokesperson for the National Police Association, there are too many people violating home detention in Maryland who are committing crimes while wearing their ankle monitors.
    Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Beijing has also softened its regulatory assault on Chinese technology companies and the property sector.
    Jacky Wong, WSJ, 6 Feb. 2023
  • Zelenskyy has warned for weeks that Moscow aims to step up its assault after about two months of virtual stalemate along the front line that stretches across the south and east.
    Reuters, NBC News, 31 Jan. 2023
Noun
  • In New York City, they are called to investigate the abduction of six newborns from a private hospital.
    Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
  • Tennessee averages 500 to 600 missing children a month, many due to parental abductions or runaways, TBI says.
    Liz Kellar, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Verb
  • Frankie Grande was forced to compete alone in a two person Battle of the Block Competition when his teammate Caleb abandoned him and sat out.
    Dalton Ross, EW.com, 5 July 2025
  • Initially, the plant’s staff was overwhelmed, forcing Motorola to briefly backtrack on its promise to deliver phones to customers within four days.
    Verne Kopytoff, Fortune, 5 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Rape.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rape. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.

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