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
Shay blackmails him, triggering a father-son feud.
—
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
There have been reports of hackers using your home's location on maps to blackmail you or impersonating your boss to demand money.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2025
But in July, the FBI and DOJ released a joint memo stating there was no Epstein client list and no credible evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals.
—Julie K. Brown Miami Herald, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2025
But in July, the FBI and DOJ released a joint memo stating there was no Epstein client list and no credible evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals.
—Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for blackmail
Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
There have been reports of hackers using your home's location on maps to blackmail you or impersonating your boss to demand money.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 18 Sep. 2025
But in July, the FBI and DOJ released a joint memo stating there was no Epstein client list and no credible evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals.
—Julie K. Brown Miami Herald, Arkansas Online, 7 Sep. 2025
But in July, the FBI and DOJ released a joint memo stating there was no Epstein client list and no credible evidence that Epstein blackmailed prominent individuals.
—Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for blackmail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmail
Verb
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His comments appear to be in response to Trump’s post on Truth Social, threatening military backing for Iranian protesters.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Jan. 2026
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That melting is threatening the island’s infrastructure and the lifestyles of native people, who over millennia have adapted their transportation and food systems to the presence of snow and ice.—
Paul Bierman,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The Panthers squeezed a few end-of-career seasons out of guys such as Dino Ciccarelli and Igor Larionov.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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Instead, 2026 is about building both stylish and sensible outfits that can take you from the airport to the streets with maximum versatility without ever squeezing into tight, form-fitting fabric.—
Merrell Readman,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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As previously reported by Fox News Digital, the unrest has been driven by a mix of economic desperation and political anger.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
7 Jan. 2026
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While there are some other small new concessions in the CBA that will help players make ends meet (such as getting access to health benefits in the offseason), to hear ECHLers explain their strike vote, the pay bump was never the driving force.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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By the following year, the FBI had recovered millions of dollars extorted from Colonial Pipeline by Darkside.—
Charlotte Reck,
CNN Money,
9 Nov. 2025
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But in a rarity, a string of attacks were sourced to a pair of cybersecurity employees out to extort millions from victims.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
3 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The events for the most part are casual, though Nimrod says some do come dressed to impress depending on the occasion.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
7 Jan. 2026
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Noussair Mazraoui and Luke Shaw have also impressed playing in a central three.—
Chris McKenna,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Further complicating matters, Doe was interviewed by Phong Tran, a then-Oakland detective who has since been charged with perjury for allegedly coercing witnesses into falsely incriminating murder defendants.—
Nate Gartrell,
Mercury News,
6 Nov. 2025
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The lawsuit accused the company of coercing customers into signing agreements that allowed the company to act as the exclusive real estate listing agent for an undisclosed period of time.—
Angela Palermo,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The system adapts to tone and intent without forcing app switching or blank-page starts.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
7 Jan. 2026
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She and other members of both houses and both parties were evacuated for their safety for several hours as rioters forced their way into the Capitol that day.—
David Staats,
Idaho Statesman,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blackmail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmail. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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