blackmail

verb

Definition of blackmailnext
as in to threaten
to use blackmail against (someone) The old man was being blackmailed by his nephew.

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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 blackmail And in 1911 a disgruntled ex-Mormon hid a camera under his coat and snapped surreptitious photos of the temple’s interior in an unsuccessful attempt to blackmail the church. — Brandon Griggs, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026 But when even dim-witted Chad also balks at the plan, Nora is forced to blackmail him into participating. — Todd Gilchrist, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026 Although Sheldon was initially blackmailed into meeting Amy, the duo quickly bonded over their similarities and went on their first official date in season 4. — Joyann Jeffrey, PEOPLE, 22 Aug. 2026 Countries beyond the United States may be tempted to blackmail their allies, and the threat of nuclear attacks could become normalized. — Mark Leonard, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026 An announcement that is taking the blame game to great heights or lows, depending on your POV and who is blackmailing who — to paraphrase Bonta banger of earlier this week. — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 14 Aug. 2026 Group members will often blackmail victims by threatening to make swatting calls at their home address and have also been known to coerce minors into placing swatting calls themselves. — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026 Irene has blackmailed the Bohemian royal family, Carrie is a thief who has stolen rare stamps from a penniless woman unaware of their value, and Fanny disguises as a man to gain access to a bank vault. — Literary Hub, 24 July 2026 In the past, models from OpenAI and other providers were theoretically shown to be capable of blackmailing users to prevent shutdowns. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 20 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmail
  1. threaten
  2. squeeze
  3. drive
  4. extort
  5. impress
  6. coerce
  7. force
Verb
  • An 18-year-old North Carolina woman threatened to fabricate child molestation accusations if a man didn’t give her cash, according to police in Huntersville.
    — Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Trump has threatened to also double tariffs on automobiles and auto parts from Canada from 25% to 50%.
    — Joey Garrison, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of threaten
Verb
  • These portable, lightweight bands squeeze easily into a suitcase and can be used to add resistance to body weight exercises.
    — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Job seekers in South Florida are navigating a tricky mix of stubborn inflation, high interest rates and an AI shift that’s squeezing entry-level hiring.
    — Jessica Lipscomb, Miami Herald, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • As such, this is meant to be a workhorse that's also enjoyable to drive.
    — Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The song has a driving bass line and would be interesting to perform with a live band.
    — Christine Terrisse, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of drive
Verb
  • The 99-year lease requires the USTA to share revenue with the city and pay for its own infrastructure, an unheard of arrangement today, when sports franchises routinely extort the government for subsidies and tax breaks.
    — Ben Ryder Howe, Curbed, 21 Aug. 2026
  • In his report, Prescott said there is evidence substantiating the claim that Rodriguez-Mendez was extorting Guaranda.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of extort
Verb
  • Young, who also had a fumble, has been impressed with Freeling’s competitiveness in his first camp and chalked up the rookie’s struggles to who lined up opposite him.
    — Joseph Person, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • But, with sky-high earnings expectations, can the group led by CEO Jensen Huang actually impress investors?
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of impress
Verb
  • But in the past, these efforts were largely aimed at threatening or coercing Washington to act in their favor.
    — Dina Esfandiary, Foreign Affairs, 27 Aug. 2026
  • That user is suing multiple sportsbooks, including FanDuel, for leveraging VIP perks to coerce further betting.
    — Tim Britton, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of coerce
Verb
  • As more cars wrecked behind the incident, NASCAR was forced to throw the caution flag — freezing the field with Preece in front.
    — Jeff Gluck, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Sometimes, operators were forced to drain one pond and divert its water to save fish in another, the Hungarian Aquaculture and Fisheries Inter-branch Organization said in early August.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of force

Browse Nearby Words

blackly
blackmail
blackmailed
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Cite this Entry

“Blackmail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmail. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on blackmail

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about blackmail

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