as in to threaten
to use blackmail against (someone)
The old man was being blackmailed by his nephew.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmail
Verb
-
If the sky becomes threatening and thunder can be heard, find a safe place to shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
15 June 2025 -
But those houses are increasingly threatened by wildfire, floods and heat.—
Ryan Kellman,
NPR,
15 June 2025
Verb
-
In some towns, utility poles were removed so the caravans could squeeze through.—
Angela Jackson,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
-
Hundreds of people squeezed into the Jewish Community Center in Boulder, Colo., for a vigil that featured prayer, singing and emotional testimony from a victim and witnesses of the firebombing attack in the city’s downtown, after a federal judge blocked the deportation of the suspect’s family.—
Colleen Slevin,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
Verb
-
Goldstein drove Boozer home with a sacrifice fly and Corral plated the go-ahead run with a single through the right side.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 June 2025
-
Sundowns’ success has also arguably been good for South Africa, helping drive new standards, develop players and coaches, and change perceptions about what is possible for clubs from the continent when investment is made available.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
7 June 2025
Verb
-
He should have been arrested right then and there for the FBI for trying to extort Natalie's mother.—
Audrey Conklin,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2025
-
Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, then alleged in a legal filing that Lively was attempting to extort a statement of support from Swift.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
22 May 2025
Verb
-
Harrison impressed in that performance, submitting former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm by submission in the second round at UFC 400.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
-
With a home this special, of course, the primary suite — with its two levels and four rooms — would also be designed to impress.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
4 June 2025
Verb
-
Defense attorneys for the juvenile defendants, Matthew Niemiec and Mark Grier, said the suspects were coerced into the alleged crime.—
Audrey Conklin,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2025
-
Scammers often ask for money or coerce their victims into performing harmful acts.—
Nicole Valdes,
CBS News,
31 May 2025
Verb
-
Whether that’s a trial site, a community center or the patient’s workplace, this model removes friction from both ends: Participants aren’t forced to travel, and sponsors don’t have to wait for overwhelmed sites to come online.—
Sonali Bloom,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
-
Despite Anna’s meticulous preparations, her intent to force confessions from the passengers and deliver them directly to authorities is immediately derailed when just hours into the trip one of her guests is murdered.—
Lexy Perez,
HollywoodReporter,
10 June 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Blackmail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmail. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share