blackmailing

verb

present participle of blackmail
as in threatening
to use blackmail against (someone) The old man was being blackmailed by his nephew.

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of blackmailing 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, 15 July 2026 Later, we’re treated to an electrifying scene of Dennis blackmailing a woman named Joyce Tercek in an elevator. — Erin Qualey, Vulture, 10 June 2026 Of course, Lili responds by blackmailing her, threatening to out her for accepting the principal position knowing she'd been mistakenly recruited for the job. — Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026 At its mid-’90s peak, upwards of 14 million people tuned in each week to see who was sleeping with, blackmailing or attempting to murder whom. — Andrea Lavinthal, PEOPLE, 22 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmailing
  1. threatening
  2. squeezing
  3. driving
  4. extorting
  5. impressing
  6. harassing
Verb
  • Not long afterward, he was elected president on a platform deeply hostile to the West and its liberal ideology, and especially to the United States — threatening a hard fight in the event of war.
    — Xiaoqian Lin, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • Severe thunderstorms are also forecast to develop later in the day, threatening fireworks displays and other outdoor events from the Plains to the Northeast with damaging winds, lightning and heavy downpours.
    — Kyla Guilfoil, NBC news, 5 July 2026
Definition of threatening
Verb
  • Planning a Broadway show night in New York City means squeezing a full day into the blocks around Times Square, and the right pre-Broadway show itinerary can turn a two-hour ticket into a memorable outing.
    — Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 13 July 2026
  • The result is a new generation of patients planning trips around treatments rather than squeezing appointments into an existing vacation.
    — Meggen Harris, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of squeezing
Verb
  • Rodríguez Castro can be seen wearing a New York Yankees shirt, moving suggestively to driving percussive beats, punctuated by catchy, syncopated vocals.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
  • Rainy weather driving tips Switch on headlights - Even during daylight hours, using headlights can enhance visibility and signal your presence to other drivers.
    — STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 July 2026
Definition of driving
Verb
  • According to the complaint, DGCIM officers repeatedly beat him, fractured his back, administered electric shocks — including to his genitals — and threatened to kill him while extorting money from his wife.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 14 July 2026
  • Across the globe, prosecutors said, the organizations preyed on lower-income members of the Indian community, either pressing them into service of the gangs or extorting them.
    — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of extorting
Verb
  • That has been Jordan Phillips’ norm every time the whistle blow during practices, and the Miami Dolphins’ second-year nose tackle isn’t focused on impressing his new coaches.
    — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 10 July 2026
  • There, check out the Harbor View Cafe, which has been impressing visitors since 1980.
    — Katy Spratte Joyce, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026
Definition of impressing
Verb
  • Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia all condemned Iran for harassing their ships.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 8 July 2026
  • In June, police filed a domestic incident report in which Armel was accused of harassing his mother, cops said.
    — Rocco Parascandola, New York Daily News, 8 July 2026
Definition of harassing

Browse Nearby Words

blackmailers
blackmailing
blackmails
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Cite this Entry

“Blackmailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmailing. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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