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

Will Oscar and guild voters want to throw their weight behind a movie that lambastes the very technology that threatens their existence?

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 6 July 2026
Screwworm also threatens to raise the price of beef at a time when Americans are already paying record high prices for burgers and steak.

— Jen Christensen, CNN Money, 5 July 2026

Definition of threatens

Verb

As a result, food inflation squeezes the amount of money people have left over to buy things like Levi's jeans and plane tickets, which brings us to our next earnings preview.

— Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 5 July 2026
One of our favorite budget models on the market right now is HP's OmniBook X Flip, which squeezes every bit of performance out of its components to deliver capable everyday productivity performance in a good-looking package.

— K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 3 July 2026

Definition of squeezes

Verb

There is little reason to believe that a careful weighing of risk and benefit really drives interest in Colossal’s de-extinction efforts.

— Taylor Dotson, Scientific American, 10 July 2026
During his winter drives up Interstate 80 toward Lake Tahoe, Sean Bigley keeps his eyes peeled.

— Corey Schmidt July 10, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2026

Definition of drives

Verb

The group also impresses with unique choreography, incorporating Pilates balls into their routine.

— Jeff Benjamin, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Newcastle are keen to get the Munoz transfer sealed, given that if the versatile attacker impresses on the global stage, that may prompt greater interest.

— David Ornstein, New York Times, 16 June 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

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

Definition of harasses

Verb

This leads to another unfortunate confrontation with a Bowden parent, as Tom drags Cady into the street and beats him up in full view of lookie-loos with phone cameras.

— Scott Tobias, Vulture, 10 July 2026
Trump speaks to Putin and Zelenskyy Ukraine has stepped up its attacks on Russian oil facilities in recent months, seeking to deplete President Vladimir Putin's war chest as the Kremlin's more than four-year war drags on.

— Sam Meredith, CNBC, 7 July 2026

Definition of drags

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“Blackmails.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmails. Accessed 13 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of blackmails

verb

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