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
  • Continue reading … PARTY FOUL — Jeffries threatens consequences after Dem mutiny helps move anti-socialism bill.
    — , FOXNews.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • As part of the new guidance message, DHS threatened universities with legal consequences — including the revocation of their permission to enroll international students.
    — Tarini Mehta, Sacbee.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of threaten
Verb
  • The Middle East war and the resulting shipping disruption through the Strait of Hormuz drove up global commodity costs, further squeezing Beijing's own appetite for commodity imports.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Independent designers, once a discovery engine, were being squeezed, while the biggest brands put more investment into their own stores, creating a dichotomy in experiences that Bron felt was palpable.
    — Hilary Milnes, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of squeeze
Verb
  • Bonnell also uses a belt drive as standard equipment for quieter, lower-maintenance operation, with an optional 520 chain conversion available for riders who prefer a more traditional setup.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Ronaldinho drove Madonna onto the field at half-time of the World Cup final in a weird little buggy thing.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of drive
Verb
  • Some cyber criminals may be trying to extort money from a victim.
    — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Clement later successfully extorted one of Roshanki’s friends for $5,000 in drug proceeds, then insisted that Roshanski owed him money for drugs and fraud.
    — Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of extort
Verb
  • An eventual big twist feels too trickily over-contrived to impress, or convince.
    — Dennis Harvey, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
  • With 23 games remaining, each night presents chances for players to impress the Kansas City coaching staff and front office.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on blackmail

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about blackmail

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