Rape: meaning, definitions and examples

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rape

 

[ reɪp ]

Noun / Verb
Context #1 | Noun

criminal offense

Rape is a serious criminal offense that involves forcing someone to have sexual intercourse against their will. It is a violation of the victim's autonomy, safety, and dignity.

Synonyms

assault, sexual assault, violation

Examples of usage

  • Statistics show that the majority of rape victims are women.
  • The legal definition of rape varies from country to country.
Context #2 | Verb

sexual violence

To rape someone means to force them to engage in sexual activity against their will. It is a heinous act of violence that can have long-lasting physical and psychological effects on the victim.

Synonyms

sexually abuse, sexually assault, violate

Examples of usage

  • She was raped by a stranger in a dark alley.
  • The soldier was accused of raping several women during the war.

Translations

Translations of the word "rape" in other languages:

🇵🇹 estupro

🇮🇳 बलात्कार

🇩🇪 Vergewaltigung

🇮🇩 pemerkosaan

🇺🇦 зґвалтування

🇵🇱 gwałt

🇯🇵 強姦 (ごうかん)

🇫🇷 viol

🇪🇸 violación

🇹🇷 tecavüz

🇰🇷 강간 (ganggan)

🇸🇦 اغتصاب (ightisab)

🇨🇿 znásilnění

🇸🇰 znásilnenie

🇨🇳 强奸 (qiángjiān)

🇸🇮 posilstvo

🇮🇸 nauðgun

🇰🇿 зорлау

🇬🇪 გაუპატიურება (gaupat'iureba)

🇦🇿 zorlanma

🇲🇽 violación

Word origin

The word 'rape' has a long history, dating back to the 14th century. It originally meant 'seize prey; take by force', and later evolved to include the sexual connotation. Throughout history, rape has been used as a tool of power, control, and domination. It is a deeply ingrained issue in societies around the world, with efforts to combat and prevent it ongoing.

See also: rapacity.

Word Frequency Rank

At #6,485 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.