as in gangster
a person who gets money from another by using force or threats
the blackmailer threatened to tell the media about the mayor's arrest as a teenager
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Recent Examples of blackmailer
The blackmailer continues to call her, demanding money in exchange for keeping her cam-boy secrets.
—
Erin Qualey, Vulture, 29 May 2026
On advice of his crisis lawyer Ira Slitz (Hill, unrecognizable with a bald head and gray beard), Reef sets out to apologize to everyone from his past who may be angry with him in an effort to find the blackmailer.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
In Season 2, eager to take on another big undercover case, Charles Nieuwendyk (Danson) gets his chance when a mysterious blackmailer targets Wheeler College president Jack Berenger (Max Greenfield), who enlists Charles to go undercover as a professor.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
Charles’ boss, Julie (Lilah Richcreek Estrada), takes the case, and given Charles’ background as a retired Cal State East Bay engineering professor, installs him as a visiting professor tasked with rooting out the blackmailer.
—G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 20 Nov. 2025
Although the threat of death was everywhere in this show, the list of actual deaths is relatively short and the majority had to do with the anonymous blackmailer and the secrets and lies built around Alison’s fake death.
—Catherine Mhloyi, Them., 29 Oct. 2025
Despite paying off blackmailers and marrying Lady Olivia Hedges (Danielle Galligan) to protect his secret, Arthur still loses his father’s Parliament seat after getting caught committing election fraud.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
Grandchildren are being summoned to help grandparents deal with blackmailers.
—Yvonne Zipp, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Sep. 2025
Erin Qualey, Vulture, 29 May 2026
On advice of his crisis lawyer Ira Slitz (Hill, unrecognizable with a bald head and gray beard), Reef sets out to apologize to everyone from his past who may be angry with him in an effort to find the blackmailer.
—Brendan Morrow, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2026
In Season 2, eager to take on another big undercover case, Charles Nieuwendyk (Danson) gets his chance when a mysterious blackmailer targets Wheeler College president Jack Berenger (Max Greenfield), who enlists Charles to go undercover as a professor.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 3 Feb. 2026
Charles’ boss, Julie (Lilah Richcreek Estrada), takes the case, and given Charles’ background as a retired Cal State East Bay engineering professor, installs him as a visiting professor tasked with rooting out the blackmailer.
—G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle, 20 Nov. 2025
Although the threat of death was everywhere in this show, the list of actual deaths is relatively short and the majority had to do with the anonymous blackmailer and the secrets and lies built around Alison’s fake death.
—Catherine Mhloyi, Them., 29 Oct. 2025
Despite paying off blackmailers and marrying Lady Olivia Hedges (Danielle Galligan) to protect his secret, Arthur still loses his father’s Parliament seat after getting caught committing election fraud.
—Lynsey Eidell, PEOPLE, 27 Sep. 2025
Grandchildren are being summoned to help grandparents deal with blackmailers.
—Yvonne Zipp, Christian Science Monitor, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmailer
Noun
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With her crude French and slightly out-of-place mannerisms, Patricia is the young, beautiful American expatriate drawn to this wannabe gangster who idolizes Humphrey Bogart and yet seems so quintessentially French.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
4 Dec. 2025
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Back in New York, following Marty’s unimaginable defeat in London, Abel Ferrara appears as a scuzzy street-level gangster who entrusts Marty and his taxi-driving best friend Wally (Tyler Okonma) with his near feral dog.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
1 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Also, consider how much more cash her thug husband’s company, Conan Harris & Associates, will be raking in if the Democrats regain control of the House next year.—
Howie Carr,
Boston Herald,
5 Dec. 2025
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No single step would have a greater effect on the Venezuelan military, intelligence services, and police than removing Diosdado Cabello, the regime’s chief thug, who is currently serving as interior minister and thus controls the police.—
Elliott Abrams,
Foreign Affairs,
20 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Nike depicts Total90 as an extortionist.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
2 Dec. 2025
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Several customers, a Miami-Dade judge and now the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services say Thompson’s a fraudulent, bait-and-switch extortionist.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
27 Nov. 2025
Noun
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In September 2023, the group was charged with violation of the racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations act, commonly known as a RICO case.—
Irene Wright,
USA Today,
3 Feb. 2026
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Mariah supported Young Thug after he was arrested in May 2022 on charges of conspiracy to violate the racketeer influenced and corrupt organizations act (RICO) and criminal street gang activity.—
Jordana Comiter,
PEOPLE,
17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blackmailer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmailer. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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