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as in to rape
to engage in sexual activity and especially intercourse with a person unwilling or unable to give consent criminal statutes delineating acts that constitute violating another person

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 violate Zelenskyy wants that deal to be a precursor to Trump guaranteeing support for Ukraine if Russia violates a potential peace agreement. Dan Mangan,christina Wilkie, CNBC, 28 Feb. 2025 Service members sue Trump administration over transgender military service ban The lawsuit, Shilling v. Trump, claims the ban on transgender service members is unconstitutional and violates fairness principles. Joanne Haner, ABC News, 28 Feb. 2025 An exasperated Zelensky replied with a monologue about how Putin violated previous agreements. Barak Ravid, Axios, 28 Feb. 2025 Hamas has accused Israel of violating the ceasefire by killing dozens of people who the army said had approached its forces or entered unauthorized areas. Joseph Krauss, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for violate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for violate
Verb
  • This is a breaking news story and will be updated shortly.
    Karen Gilchrist, CNBC, 5 Mar. 2025
  • Every woman has within her the potential to break the boundaries.
    Joan Michelson, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • His product must contain alcohol; selling a beverage without alcohol would amount to desecrating his own profession.
    Yukio Mishima, The New Yorker, 27 Oct. 2024
  • The Greeks, led by King Antiochus IV, had sought to suppress Jewish religious practices, outlawed the observance of Judaism, and desecrated the holy Temple in Jerusalem.
    Gail Swedroe, Austin American-Statesman, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Hundreds were raped, assaulted, kidnapped, or held for ransom, according to documentation kept by the watchdog organization Human Rights First.
    Jack Herrera, The New Yorker, 6 Mar. 2025
  • Read Next National Child makes 911 call as woman is killed by intruder in Nebraska home, police say February 10, 2025 8:15 AM Read Next National Man rapes college student then messages her on Instagram, MN cops say.
    Mitchell Willetts, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Father-son spat The elder Kwek has alleged that his son and other members of the board breached corporate governance rules by hastily appointing two new directors outside of the typical nomination process.
    Jason Ma, Fortune Asia, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Children's online privacy:Apple launches 'age assurance' tech as US states mull social media laws In 2023, the ICO fined TikTok 12.7 million pounds ($16 million) for breaching data protection law by using the personal data of children aged under 13 without parental consent.
    Angela Christy and Mrinmay Dey, USA TODAY, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Lost in a sea of ash: When wildfire destroys a home — and a loved one’s urn — the search begins.
    Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 2025
  • This is a major U-turn from Riot, after completely revamping the rewards system at the start of the year and being destroyed by fans for it.
    Mike Stubbs, Forbes, 4 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Trump has reportedly used denialism – about Joe Biden winning the 2020 election and that Jan. 6 entailed pro-Trump protesters violently assaulting police officers – to help vet appointees for senior national security and intelligence posts.
    Joe Wright, The Conversation, 11 Mar. 2025
  • When his mother tried to protect him, the group assaulted her, and ran off before police arrived.
    Robert Salonga, The Mercury News, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • There are two aspects of your HOA’s project that could potentially contravene the governing documents, giving you a legal claim: First, whether the board is adding new amenities that didn’t exist before.
    Jill Terreri Ramos, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2025
  • There was no ground survey report, and the building contravened the permissions in its original permit when it was built in 1993.
    Emily Wither, The Dial, 13 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Last Blood is a straightforward revenge story about a broken man who vows to kill those who defiled and murdered his surrogate niece.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 20 Feb. 2025
  • William adamantly reminds his father that Jane was trying to save her sister from being defiled by a man who had paid to take her maidenhead.
    Lincee Ray, EW.com, 18 Jan. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Violate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/violate. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

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