as in threatens
to use blackmail against (someone)
The old man was being blackmailed by his nephew.
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Recent Examples of blackmails
Eager to have his cake and eat it too, Benedict blackmails Sophie into taking a job with his mother.
—
Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 30 Jan. 2026
Donald wins the governor’s race, but Lee blackmails him into signing over his family’s land to the Osage Nation in memory of his late brother.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
Shay blackmails him, triggering a father-son feud.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 30 Jan. 2026
Donald wins the governor’s race, but Lee blackmails him into signing over his family’s land to the Osage Nation in memory of his late brother.
—Kathryn Vanarendonk, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
Shay blackmails him, triggering a father-son feud.
—Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmails
Verb
-
The false perception of sovereignty as a binary choice between progress and independence threatens both pursuits.—
Ana Paula Assis,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
-
But advocates say that failing to pay into the fund threatens to do more than delay promised improvements to the sector.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Short sellers betting against CoreWeave are racking up steep losses as a recent rally squeezes bearish positions.—
Sean Conlon,Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Willy drives it onstage through a giant door at the start and ends his life therein.—
Chris Jones,
New York Daily News,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Martinez is categorized as a super commuter, or someone who drives for 90 minutes or more to get to work.—
Kara St. Cyr,
CBS News,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Want to make a weeknight meal that really impresses?—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The streak certainly impresses goaltender Scott Wedgewood.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
However, the rotation of this filament clearly dominates how the galaxies within it spin, perhaps by funneling hydrogen gas along the dark-matter filament and onto the galaxies in a way that coerces their spin while providing further fuel for star formation.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
4 Dec. 2025
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Haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, Ali, a university professor, coerces his enigmatic gardener to execute a cold-blooded act of vengeance.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
14 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Benedict and Sophie meet again in the countryside when Sophie protects a fellow maid after a group of Benedict’s acquaintances harasses her.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The report includes a screenshot that appears to show Accurso engaging with a comment from an Instagram account that frequently praises Hamas and harasses Jews.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has issued conflicting and confusing statements about possible talks as the war drags, including extending deadlines for a deal, which might lead Iran to discount his dire new threats.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
7 Apr. 2026
-
However, many experts say Dubai’s image as a haven will be in doubt the longer the war drags on.—
Manal Albarakati,
semafor.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blackmails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmails. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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