BLACKMAILS Synonyms: 50 Similar and Opposite Words

blackmails

verb

present tense third-person singular of blackmail

as in threatens

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 blackmails The third ended by setting Deborah and Ava on a collision course after Ava blackmails Deborah into becoming head writer of her late-night show, only to render the fallout in cartoonishly broad terms. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 29 May 2026 Their antagonism peaked at the end of Season 3, when Deborah achieves her dream of landing a late-night chair and Ava blackmails her way into the head-writer job. — Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 29 May 2026 Collet-Serra directed and executive produced the film that focused on Egerton as an inexperienced TSA agent who ends up in a battle of wits with a mysterious traveler (Bateman) after the stranger blackmails him into allowing a dangerous package onto a flight on Christmas Eve. — Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026 But is Duncan the devil who manipulates, lies and emotionally blackmails anyone in his orbit? — Stephen Schaefer, Boston Herald, 12 Apr. 2026 Something Duncan says in a session with JoAnne leads her to unload some stock, like Martha Stewart in 2004, and Duncan, working this out, blackmails her into passing on inside information from her clients to him. — Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026 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 Shay blackmails him, triggering a father-son feud. — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2025

Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmails

Verb

Now Marie’s past threatens to catch up with her, and she is forced to do everything in her power to preserve her new status as lady of the house in post-war anarchy.

— Alex Ritman, Variety, 17 Aug. 2026
The continued spread threatens the nation’s status of having eliminated measles from circulation achieved in 2000.

— Erika Edwards, NBC news, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of threatens

Verb

As engine speed rises, centrifugal force squeezes the drive clutch closed and pushes the belt farther outward.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Aug. 2026
Whereas the Scranton method mainly involves molding ultrahot steel in giant forging presses, Repkon added a step in which a fast-spinning machine squeezes and rolls out the metal like clay on a potter’s wheel.

— Jesse Coburn, ProPublica, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of squeezes

Verb

Drew Allar impresses in preseason debut against Packers The Steelers' third-round pick out of Penn State this past year went 10 for 13 for 154 yards and three touchdowns against the Green Bay Packers.

— Patrick Damp, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
The arts scene impresses, too, with several galleries sprinkled throughout town.

— Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of impresses

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
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

Definition of coerces

Verb

Although China’s maritime militia fleet regularly harasses other countries’ small and vulnerable fishing boats, the container ships and bulk carriers responsible for Taiwan’s commerce dwarf any Chinese militia vessel.

— Eugene Gholz, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of harasses

Verb

Some of those embassy staff may start returning to their posts soon, however the State Department is still limiting the number of personnel in the Middle East as the war in Iran drags on.

— Greg Dixon, NPR, 21 Aug. 2026
But after years of unprecedented contributions to astronomy, the forces governing the cosmos are finally taking their toll as Earth’s gravitational pull slowly drags the telescope closer towards a point of no return.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of drags

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“Blackmails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmails. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of blackmails

verb

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