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
The episode builds to a scene when Duncan, having sniffed out JoAnne’s scheme, blackmails her into an even larger scheme to pump rival executives for business scoops.
—
Scott Tobias, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2026
Dan Levy knows exactly what keeps him up at night, as the possibility of being blackmailed into committing crimes has haunted him for years.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 11 Apr. 2026
The show follows two directionless siblings, Morgan and Nicky (Levy), who are blackmailed into the world of organized crime.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026
When he gets blackmailed by a mystery man, Reeves' character gets help from his high school besties, played by Cameron Diaz and Matt Bomer.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blackmail
Scott Tobias, Vulture, 12 Apr. 2026
Dan Levy knows exactly what keeps him up at night, as the possibility of being blackmailed into committing crimes has haunted him for years.
—Kennedy French, Variety, 11 Apr. 2026
The show follows two directionless siblings, Morgan and Nicky (Levy), who are blackmailed into the world of organized crime.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026
When he gets blackmailed by a mystery man, Reeves' character gets help from his high school besties, played by Cameron Diaz and Matt Bomer.
—Brian Truitt, USA Today, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for blackmail
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmail
Verb
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Texas hemp retailers are getting temporary relief after a judge blocked the state's new ban on smokable THC products – a rule that shop owners say threatened to wipe out large portions of their business.—
Briseida Holguin,
CBS News,
12 Apr. 2026
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Then, guards who worked for the contractor Critical Response Strategies began taunting detainees, threatening to enter the cage where immigrants were held.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Focusing on everyday shapewear, Yummie hugs instead of squeezes like traditional shapewear that can be extremely tight and constrictive.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
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All movies need a 45-day exclusive theatrical window, because small and mid-budget movies that hit streaming sooner are getting squeezed.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Most observers would say that this version of Bentancur was not quite as effective as the one seen under Antonio Conte, more able to cover ground in the middle and drive Tottenham forward.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
21 Apr. 2026
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Once officers arrived, people at the scene said that someone had driven a teenage boy who had been shot from the scene.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Alas, Deborah’s crass attempt to extort her fans immediately goes sideways.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
17 Apr. 2026
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Federal officials said Lane hacked into two companies — including PowerSchool, according to Reuters and ABC News — in an attempt to extort them.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
14 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Jess Park Given Toone’s absence, Park will be disappointed not to be handed a start against Spain or Iceland, with Kendall and Blindkilde Brown handed opportunities to impress.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
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In a group photo from Sunday, April 19, the teens stood between their parents before heading off to prom, both dressed to impress for the night out.—
Georgia Slater,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That’s a gentle way of saying that those institutions must be prepared, at times, to coerce.—
Nikhil Krishnan,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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My old company, Whitewater Films, hired me to write a sports comedy — Puckheads — about an aging minor league hockey enforcer who gets coerced into playing for a cartel in Mexico City.—
Nick Morton,
HollywoodReporter,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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At the same time, declining loan valuations — markdowns in the value of loans extended by private credit funds — are signaling stress at the company level, forcing private equity managers to mark down asset values and accept lower returns, said Hooke.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
20 Apr. 2026
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Freya Godfrey Was forced to withdraw from the latest squad due to injury, and is uncapped at senior level.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blackmail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmail. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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