BLACKMAILED Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

blackmailed

verb

past tense of blackmail

as in threatened

to use blackmail against (someone) The old man was being blackmailed by his nephew.

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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 blackmailed Racketeers blackmailed companies and executives, threatened to disrupt shareholder meetings, or intimidated other shareholders to keep quiet. — Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 Season two goes a little differently than season one, because the music exec in charge of casting the show (Ashley Padilla) is being lightly blackmailed by two … unique candidates (Jane Wickline and new cast member Grace Reiter). — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2026 Blizzard insinuated that Paramount blackmailed California into negotiating a settlement by threatening to leave the state, a common talking point raised by Bonta. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 24 Sep. 2026 Assassination-for-hire is the tragicomic domain of people looking for someone to kill a spouse or a rival but getting blackmailed by teenagers pretending to be hit men in the process. — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 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 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 Some students discovered the account and blackmailed Nichols into giving them better grades, the warrant states. — Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026 He was never blackmailed by Epstein. — Graham Kates, CBS News, 26 June 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmailed

Verb

Hill then took the baby to the balcony of the condo, which is on the 35th floor, and threatened to leave.

— Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026
In 2025, Newsom threatened to veto the state’s budget if lawmakers didn’t pass the two CEQA reform bills.

— Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of threatened

Verb

In Malabo, Bioko’s biggest city, a team of men and women equipped with insecticide sprayers squeezed between low-rise cement buildings on a recent morning, as heavy rain drummed on aluminum roofs.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
Elevated borrowing rates and refinancing challenges (registration required) have squeezed an already difficult landscape for development financing.

— Jill Jones, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of squeezed

Verb

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
The police chief allegedly extorted the victim and the victim’s father in connection with the pending murder case.

— Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026

Definition of extorted

Verb

The individual who inflicted the fatal injury drove the spear downward through the victim’s left chest cavity from the front, piercing major arteries and the lungs before creating the hole in the left scapula.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 15 Oct. 2026
Ohtani drove the Struggle Bus into Game 3, having struck out seven times in 20 playoff at-bats, with only three singles and no extra-base hits and no RBIs.

— Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of drove

Verb

Doe alleges in her lawsuit that she was coerced into using drugs before the assault.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 6 Oct. 2026
They were coerced into signing a non-disclosure agreement that prevented them from ever exposing the details of what happened, and at whose hands.

— Gretchen Carlson, New York Daily News, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of coerced

Verb

While so many aspects of the Heat’s new-look roster impressed this preseason, Thompson struggled to make shots in his first preseason with Miami.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
Koelsch and company were impressed enough to offer Hindoyan a five-year contract.

— Tim Greiving, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of impressed

Verb

The horrifying filing details how bullies harassed her with Nazi salutes, slurs, and brutal violence following the October 7 massacre.

— Staff, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
In an interview with Inside Edition on Tuesday, store owner Adam Rubin said that his store has been review-bombed since Clarkson took to social media and named the store, and employees and surrounding businesses have been harassed.

— Payton Turkeltaub, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of harassed

Verb

In the southern port city of Marseille, some shops and a municipal police station were damaged, while protesters briefly forced their way into the lobby of City Hall.

— SYLVIE CORBET, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026
Performers weren’t spared either, with several forced to perform in the rain without covering for both artists and their equipment.

— Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of forced

Browse Nearby Words

blackmail

blackmailed

blackmailer

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“Blackmailed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmailed. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of blackmailed

verb

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