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
While Duncan blackmailing his doctor would have made for a perfectly satisfying conclusion, the episode packs one more mic drop.
—
Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
Members of the group allegedly conduct coordinated extortions of teens by blackmailing them.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
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
Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
Members of the group allegedly conduct coordinated extortions of teens by blackmailing them.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmailing
Verb
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Evacuation orders and warnings were issued for a Jurupa Valley neighborhood on Wednesday after a brushfire broke out nearby, threatening multiple homes as flames were fueled by strong gusts of wind.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Nichols is charged with one count each of felony assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, threatening crime with intent to terrorize and vandalism, according to court documents.—
Dalila Muata,
NBC news,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Higher oil prices have sharply increased operating expenses for shipping firms, squeezing margins and forcing governments, including Hong Kong, to step in with temporary support.—
Lee Ying Shan,Emily Tan,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2026
-
At the same time, China has rapidly expanded capacity in its drive to become more self-sufficient, contributing to a global glut of product and squeezing European companies.—
Marilen Martin,
Bloomberg,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Meanwhile, government data shows that car insurance prices have soared 55% compared with six years ago, or just before the pandemic, driving up the number of Americans going without.—
Alexa St. John,
Fortune,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Smith went 2 for 2 with a walk and double at the plate, driving in 2 runs and scoring a run, all out of the 9 hole in the lineup for Southwest Christian (24-4 overall, 6-1 district).—
Darren Lauber,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Dozens of armed groups run rampant in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, extorting businesses, kidnapping people and driving farmers off their land.—
Caitlin Stephen Hu,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
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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
Verb
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Modern extremists aren’t known for their love of Broadway, but a song about impressing a girl by killing a president takes on new meaning when sung from the lips of a social media loner.—
Charles Lewis III,
Mercury News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Drasner, a lawyer by trade, joined The News several years after impressing real estate magnate and publisher Mort Zuckerman during a court case where Drasner was representing the opposition.—
Leonard Greene,
New York Daily News,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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In that series, the Timberwolves’ used their harassing defense to rattle and, ultimately, wear down Denver.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
17 Apr. 2026
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Shortly after those allegations surfaced, a TV host in Georgia also reportedly accused the singer of harassing her that same year at an industry party.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blackmailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmailing. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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