1
: unlawful sexual activity and usually sexual intercourse carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against a person's will or with a person who is beneath a certain age or incapable of valid consent because of mental illness, mental deficiency, intoxication, unconsciousness, or deception compare sexual assault, statutory rape
2
: an outrageous violation
3
: an act or instance of robbing or despoiling or carrying away a person by force
raped; raping
raper
noun
Examples of rape in a Sentence
Noun (1)
an international law defining rape as a war crime
the legend of the rape of the Sabine women by the ancient Romans was frequently depicted in classical art
Verb
He is accused of raping the girl.
She was raped by a fellow student.
Recent Examples on the Web
John Annese, New York Daily News, 27 July 2025
On the fourth night of her engagement, she was raped in her room at a Howard Johnson Motel Lodge.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 17 July 2025
Tragedy struck in 1974 when Francis was attacked and raped by a stranger in her hotel room following a performance at the Westbury Music Fair in Westbury, NY.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 17 July 2025
Five Black and Brown teenagers were arrested and wrongly charged with raping and beating a female Central Park jogger.
—Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2025
In 1974, the singer was beaten and raped at knifepoint at a motel after performing at a music festival in Westbury, N.Y.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 17 July 2025
Taeil and Hong followed them separately and raped the woman at Lee’s home.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
Taeil and two others were accused of raping an intoxicated Chinese tourist who visited South Korea last year, according to the Times.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 10 July 2025
At the time of that drawing, I had just been raped by a man twice my age weeks before.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2025
Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 30 July 2025
Thomas Partey, the footballer accused of rape, will feature on the Premier League’s official trading cards when they are released next month — after Arsenal rubber-stamped his inclusion.
—Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 29 July 2025
Paul Gallagher, the older brother of Oasis musicians Liam and Noel Gallagher, has been charged with rape and multiple instances of physical abuse following a police investigation, according to multiple reports.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 28 July 2025
Muller also faced state charges for burglary, robbery, kidnapping and two counts of rape.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 27 July 2025
British actor Micheal Ward, star of Top Boy and more recently, Ari Aster’s Cannes-debuting film Eddington, has been charged with rape.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2025
Chevalier Adams, 39, was indicted on three counts of rape and also charged with kidnapping, importuning and grooming, according to a news release from the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office.
—Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 July 2025
She is charged with two counts of rape, 12 counts of child molesting and two counts of child exploitation.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2025
Black’s most high-profile legal victory was arguably the successful defense of Smith after the Kennedy-family offspring was accused of rape in 1991.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 23 July 2025
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Verb
The attacker forced her into a bedroom, raped her, then swiped her phone, a knife and bed sheets before leaving, NBC 4 New York reported.
—John Annese, New York Daily News, 27 July 2025
On the fourth night of her engagement, she was raped in her room at a Howard Johnson Motel Lodge.
—Mike Barnes, HollywoodReporter, 17 July 2025
Tragedy struck in 1974 when Francis was attacked and raped by a stranger in her hotel room following a performance at the Westbury Music Fair in Westbury, NY.
—Greg Evans, Deadline, 17 July 2025
Five Black and Brown teenagers were arrested and wrongly charged with raping and beating a female Central Park jogger.
—Chicago Tribune, 17 July 2025
In 1974, the singer was beaten and raped at knifepoint at a motel after performing at a music festival in Westbury, N.Y.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 17 July 2025
Taeil and Hong followed them separately and raped the woman at Lee’s home.
—Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2025
Taeil and two others were accused of raping an intoxicated Chinese tourist who visited South Korea last year, according to the Times.
—Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 10 July 2025
At the time of that drawing, I had just been raped by a man twice my age weeks before.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 9 July 2025
Noun
In April 2024, Lateral officer Myron Howard, who was with the department for one year, was charged with rape, criminal confinement, official misconduct, making an unlawful proposition, public indecency and public nudity.
—Ryan Murphy, IndyStar, 30 July 2025
Thomas Partey, the footballer accused of rape, will feature on the Premier League’s official trading cards when they are released next month — after Arsenal rubber-stamped his inclusion.
—Dan Sheldon, New York Times, 29 July 2025
Paul Gallagher, the older brother of Oasis musicians Liam and Noel Gallagher, has been charged with rape and multiple instances of physical abuse following a police investigation, according to multiple reports.
—Edward Segarra, USA Today, 28 July 2025
Muller also faced state charges for burglary, robbery, kidnapping and two counts of rape.
—Stephanie Nolasco, FOXNews.com, 27 July 2025
British actor Micheal Ward, star of Top Boy and more recently, Ari Aster’s Cannes-debuting film Eddington, has been charged with rape.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 25 July 2025
Chevalier Adams, 39, was indicted on three counts of rape and also charged with kidnapping, importuning and grooming, according to a news release from the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Office.
—Gillian Stawiszynski, Cincinnati Enquirer, 25 July 2025
She is charged with two counts of rape, 12 counts of child molesting and two counts of child exploitation.
—Meredith Colias-Pete, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2025
Black’s most high-profile legal victory was arguably the successful defense of Smith after the Kennedy-family offspring was accused of rape in 1991.
—Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 23 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Rape.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rape. Accessed 2 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
rape
1 of 3 noun
: an herb related to the mustards that is grown for animals to graze on and for its seeds which are used as birdseed and as a source of oil
compare canola
rape
2 of 3 verb
raped; raping
1
archaic
: to take away by force
2
: to have sexual relations with by force
raper
noun
rape
3 of 3 noun
: an act or instance of raping
Etymology
Noun
Middle English rape "the herb rape," from Latin rapa, rapum "turnip, rape"
Verb
Middle English rapen "to take away by force," from Latin rapere "to seize"
Medical Definition
rape
1 of 3 noun
: a European herb (Brassica napus) of the mustard family grown as a forage crop and for its seeds which yield rapeseed oil and are a bird food see canola sense 1
rape
2 of 3 transitive verb
raped; raping
: to commit rape on
rape
3 of 3 noun
: unlawful sexual activity and usually sexual intercourse carried out forcibly or under threat of injury against the will usually of a female or with a person who is beneath a certain age or incapable of valid consent compare sexual assault, statutory rape
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