as in to threaten
to use blackmail against (someone)
The old man was being blackmailed by his nephew.
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Recent Examples of blackmail
But when a mysterious stranger begins blackmailing Neve, she is forced to compromise every legal, moral, and ethical obligation to gain an acquittal — or else risk her dark secrets being exposed.
—
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 May 2026
Trump may also be extrapolating from his first term, and especially his first impeachment, when people in the government blew the whistle on his attempts to blackmail Ukraine into investigating Joe Biden and his family.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 26 May 2026
Collet-Serra directed and executive produced the film that focused on Egerton as an inexperienced TSA agent who ends up in a battle of wits with a mysterious traveler (Bateman) after the stranger blackmails him into allowing a dangerous package onto a flight on Christmas Eve.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
Their real target is the Duke of Málaga and his wife, who made the mistake of trying to blackmail him.
—Veronica Villafañe, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for blackmail
Matt Grobar, Deadline, 27 May 2026
Trump may also be extrapolating from his first term, and especially his first impeachment, when people in the government blew the whistle on his attempts to blackmail Ukraine into investigating Joe Biden and his family.
—Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 26 May 2026
Collet-Serra directed and executive produced the film that focused on Egerton as an inexperienced TSA agent who ends up in a battle of wits with a mysterious traveler (Bateman) after the stranger blackmails him into allowing a dangerous package onto a flight on Christmas Eve.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
Their real target is the Duke of Málaga and his wife, who made the mistake of trying to blackmail him.
—Veronica Villafañe, Forbes.com, 19 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for blackmail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmail
Verb
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Point Loma threatened to tie the game in the sixth and probably would have done so if not for the defensive play of the game.—
Don Norcross,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2026
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Higher education institutions have been staring down a looming demographic reality that threatens not only their financial well-being but the nation’s workforce at large.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
Verb
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Freddie Freeman squeezed one inside the left-field foul pole in the first inning, his fourth home run in nine games (after hitting just one in the previous 35 games).—
Bill Plunkett,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
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The bedroom is now its own separate space—one that Konieczny managed to squeeze more custom storage inside—and despite having to move the shower and toilet, the bathroom is much more functional as well.—
Nicolas Milon,
Architectural Digest,
30 May 2026
Verb
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McCarthy doubled in the ninth to move Kyle Karros to third before Rumfield drove him home with a sac fly to right field for a 9-8 lead.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 June 2026
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The blend of plush but no-nonsense North American furnishings with opulent Ottomania creates a visually exotic yet comfort-driven aesthetic.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
Verb
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Davis has countersued for $20 million, alleging Rossel fabricated the claims and attempted to extort him.—
Todd Karpovich,
Baltimore Sun,
28 May 2026
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Dixie subsequently prevented Don from seeing Blue for much of his life, using his existence to threaten and extort Don.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 May 2026
Verb
-
Anyone who really impressed you?—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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The testing team was impressed by the high-quality coffee the Nespresso VertuoPlus Deluxe by De’Longhi produced.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
1 June 2026
Verb
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The attorney general's office said Soto used false promises and drugs to coerce women into prostitution.—
Madeline Bartos,
CBS News,
28 May 2026
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The thoughtlessness with which this bride coerced you into subsidizing her wedding was stunning.—
Judith Martin,
Mercury News,
23 May 2026
Verb
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The Trojans must beat the Aggies to force a winner-take-all game Monday at a time to be determined.—
Jose de Jesus Ortiz,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
-
Anyone with livestock has been forced to leave.—
Tommy Trenchard,
NPR,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blackmail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmail. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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