extortionate

adjective

ex·​tor·​tion·​ate ik-ˈstȯr-sh(ə-)nət 

1

: characterized by extortion

2

: excessive, exorbitant

extortionate prices

extortionately adverb

Examples of extortionate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The season ends with her phone ringing, with whatever extortionate demand to be made of Paula waiting for a future season. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 15 July 2026

Instead, the president governs by executive orders, emergency decrees, and extortionate transactions, using his power to reward his friends and punish his enemies. — Gregg Nunziata, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026

Sports franchises everywhere can be tacky, rapacious, incompetent, extortionate, and otherwise exploitative, but only because their customers, the fans, are essentially captives. — Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 23 Apr. 2026

For a while, Madison Thompson, 30, toyed with the idea of getting a new couch but didn’t want to spend an extortionate amount. — Alyce Collins, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1747, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for extortionate

• proportionate
• disproportionate

Kids Definition

extortionate

adjective

ex·​tor·​tion·​ate ik-ˈstȯr-sh(ə-)nət 

1

: marked by extortion

2

: extremely high : exorbitant

extortionate prices

extortionately adverb