as in threatening
to use blackmail against (someone)
The old man was being blackmailed by his nephew.
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Recent Examples of blackmailing
Aviles and his attorney have denied the blackmailing accusation.
—
Connor Greene, Time, 4 Mar. 2026
Whitney had a Jeffrey Epstein-like habit of blackmailing powerful associates with recordings of intimate moments, often with his ex-escort assistant Haley (Kiernan Shipka).
—Alison Herman, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026
Gonzales has refused to address the report and instead claims the late staffer's husband is blackmailing him.
—Jj Velasquez, San Antonio Express-News, 22 Feb. 2026
These creations are doing things their makers can’t explain, including blackmailing, lying, refusing to shut down and telling kids how to commit suicide.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Pavel accused Macinka of blackmailing him.
—ABC News, 15 Feb. 2026
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.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
The theory that Epstein was blackmailing his rich contacts was also always based on speculation.
—Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
There are selfish motives as Hawk is also secretly trying to track down whoever is blackmailing him.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
Connor Greene, Time, 4 Mar. 2026
Whitney had a Jeffrey Epstein-like habit of blackmailing powerful associates with recordings of intimate moments, often with his ex-escort assistant Haley (Kiernan Shipka).
—Alison Herman, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026
Gonzales has refused to address the report and instead claims the late staffer's husband is blackmailing him.
—Jj Velasquez, San Antonio Express-News, 22 Feb. 2026
These creations are doing things their makers can’t explain, including blackmailing, lying, refusing to shut down and telling kids how to commit suicide.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Pavel accused Macinka of blackmailing him.
—ABC News, 15 Feb. 2026
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.
—Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 13 Feb. 2026
The theory that Epstein was blackmailing his rich contacts was also always based on speculation.
—Gilad Edelman, The Atlantic, 7 Feb. 2026
There are selfish motives as Hawk is also secretly trying to track down whoever is blackmailing him.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 4 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmailing
Verb
-
Small unmanned aerial vehicles are increasingly capable of threatening frontline troops, armored vehicles, logistics convoys, border installations, airports, and other sensitive facilities.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Justice Department pardon attorney Ed Martin faces ethics charges for threatening to block hiring of Georgetown Law students unless the school eliminated DEI programs.—
Michael Kunzelman,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The lady beetles emerging in spring actually entered your home in the fall, squeezing through small cracks to overwinter inside walls, attics, and other sheltered spaces.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Equipped with a deep high-rise waistband featuring internal power mesh, Icebreaker has engineered these leggings to provide a bit of extra compression without over-squeezing.—
Harry Spampinato,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
While driving - Stick to the middle lanes and stay on elevated ground.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Aiden Robbins took the most substantial swing of the night in that inning, driving a two-run, back-side home run to right field.—
David Eckert,
Austin American Statesman,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The official reports into that incident show that Epstein initially told prison officials that his cellmate had tried to kill him after extorting him for money.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
-
There had been tension between Bo Nagar’s force and the local PDF units since last year over his BNRA fighters allegedly extorting money at road checkpoints.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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At its core, securing a listing is not about impressing an owner with accolades or confidence alone.—
Allen Buchanan,
Oc Register,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Now, Lombard, 20, is impressing early this spring, registering loud contact, making highlight reel plays at shortstop, second base and third base, and even homering off one of the best pitchers of the game, Garrett Crochet of the Boston Red Sox.—
Brendan Kuty,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But, just like Elmer Fudd, there was one beast that constantly eluded the mighty hermit hunter and actually took great pleasure in harassing him.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Gosling gets into the concept in a new promo, searching out a coveted First-Timers Club smoking jacket and then roaming the halls outside Studio 8H wreaking havoc, harassing the cast and generally playing the big shot.—
Tom Tapp,
Deadline,
4 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blackmailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmailing. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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