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

Evil, jealous and cruel men like Fountain will use anything to control their victims including extorting them with their most personal and emotional memories. — Steven Yablonski, CBS News, 6 Aug. 2026

Cartels regularly extort producers in protection schemes, according to a 2024 report by the Global Initiative Against Transnational Organized Crime. — Michael Rios, CNN Money, 5 Aug. 2026

In fact, the company claims that Afram and the production company are attempting to use the lawsuit to extort money from Netflix, including by issuing a demand letter for $165 million. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026

The other danger is that ransomware attackers often steal sensitive data during their intrusions, which can then be leveraged to extort victim companies into paying to keep the data quiet. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 16 July 2026