as in to threaten
to use blackmail against (someone)
The old man was being blackmailed by his nephew.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blackmail
In one case, the bot attempted to blackmail one of the people advocating for replacing the AI.
—
Mark R. Weaver, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
He was blackmailed by a person posing as a teenage girl on Facebook Messenger, Rodee said.
—Zach Vallese, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2025
Some users bragged about allegedly assaulting or blackmailing women and encouraged others to insult the women shown in photos with degrading language.
—Cnn Staff 20 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025
Vivienne, meanwhile, discovers while visiting London for a summit that she's being blackmailed amid her re-election cycle.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for blackmail
Mark R. Weaver, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Aug. 2025
He was blackmailed by a person posing as a teenage girl on Facebook Messenger, Rodee said.
—Zach Vallese, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2025
Some users bragged about allegedly assaulting or blackmailing women and encouraged others to insult the women shown in photos with degrading language.
—Cnn Staff 20 Hr Ago, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2025
Vivienne, meanwhile, discovers while visiting London for a summit that she's being blackmailed amid her re-election cycle.
—Randall Colburn, EW.com, 22 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for blackmail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmail
Verb
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Trump has also taken an unusually hands-on approach to pressure policy and leadership changes at a slew of colleges and universities by freezing, or threatening to withhold, federal funding at campuses, including Columbia, George Mason, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, Brown, and Michigan.—
Ramsey Touchberry,
The Washington Examiner,
10 Sep. 2025
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The clause allows a NATO member to convene a meeting of allies to consult on an issue that could threaten its security.—
Will Gretsky,
ABC News,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The shakeups are the latest at a time when restaurants are squeezed between a labor shortage, rising food prices and a loss of customers as diners cut back on spending.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Sep. 2025
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For now, the three youngest each sleep in their own pack-and-plays squeezed into their parents’ bedroom.—
Jeff Truesdell,
People.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Police reported the suspect got into an awaiting black SUV driven by a second suspect, and the pair fled the scene.—
Natalie Neysa Alund,
USA Today,
9 Sep. 2025
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But there is also a deeper democratic malaise driven by his reluctance to heed the message delivered at the ballot box.—
Cole Stangler,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Around that time in 2016, an undercover FBI agent approached Donna Adelson purporting to extort her with information about the contract killing on behalf of Rivera.—
Lauren del Valle,
CNN Money,
6 Sep. 2025
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If this information were accessed, scammers could more convincingly extort or deceive individuals, according to Landau.—
TIME Staff,
Time,
26 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The Royals have been impressed with Bowlan this season.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
10 Sep. 2025
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ARMstrong Dex impressed again in a similar test, performing a series of dead-hang pull-ups with a 44-pound (20 kg) weight attached to it.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Abrego's lawyers have said the administration is trying to coerce him into pleading guilty.—
Ted Hesson,
USA Today,
7 Sep. 2025
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The allegations come amid the ongoing fallout of felony perjury and bribery charges filed in 2023 against Tran, who is accused of paying off and coercing a witness in a separate 2011 murder case.—
Jakob Rodgers,
Mercury News,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
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France’s government has collapsed after a vote of no confidence on Monday, forcing Prime Minister Francois Bayrou out of office after just nine months on the job.—
Miranda Jeyaretnam,
Time,
9 Sep. 2025
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Quarterback Brock Purdy, who delivered a clutch, game-winning drive after throwing two interceptions, has a bad shoulder and toe that could force him to miss Week 2.—
Robert Marvi,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blackmail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmail. Accessed 11 Sep. 2025.
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