Synonyms of extort

extort

verb

ik-ˈstȯrt 

as in to coerce

to get (as money) by the use of force or threats

a school bully who was used to extorting lunch money from weaker kids

Synonyms & Similar Words

• coerce
• squeeze
• wring
• exact
• wrest
• force
• gouge
• compel
• swindle
• milk
• bleed
• cheat
• skin
• fleece
• racketeer

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb extort contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of extort are educe, elicit, evoke, and extract. While all these words mean "to draw out something hidden, latent, or reserved," extort suggests a wringing or wresting from one who resists strongly.

extorted their cooperation by threatening to inform

Where would educe be a reasonable alternative to extort?

While the synonyms educe and extort are close in meaning, educe implies the bringing out of something potential or latent.

educed order out of chaos

In what contexts can elicit take the place of extort?

In some situations, the words elicit and extort are roughly equivalent. However, elicit usually implies some effort or skill in drawing forth a response.

careful questioning elicited the truth

When is evoke a more appropriate choice than extort?

The synonyms evoke and extort are sometimes interchangeable, but evoke implies a strong stimulus that arouses an emotion or an interest or recalls an image or memory.

a song that evokes warm memories

When could extract be used to replace extort?

The words extract and extort can be used in similar contexts, but extract implies the use of force or pressure in obtaining answers or information.

extracted a confession from him

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of extort

The neo-noir thriller, which is an adaptation of Japanese filmmaker Akira Kurosawa’s High and Low, follows David King (Washington), a successful music executive who gets extorted by an up-and-coming rapper (A$AP Rocky). —Taryn Finley, Refinery29, 18 Aug. 2025

According to Gomez’s complaint, the woman sought to extort money from him and his law firm, Gomez Trial Attorneys, and to damage their reputations. —Jeff McDonald, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025

Google also stated that ShinyHunters commonly uses an attack tactic of extorting victims using emails or telephone calls demanding bitcoin ransom payments within 72 hours of compromise. —Davey Winder, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2025

He was charged in May 2024 with extorting contractors on school construction projects and then accepting tens of thousands of dollars in bribes from those companies. —Andrew Brown, Hartford Courant, 4 Aug. 2025