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

Days after a subpoena roped Taylor Swift into the legal battle between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni, the latter’s lawyers accused the actress’ legal team of attempting to extort a public statement out of the singer. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 14 May 2025

Surveillance camera footage from the lobby of a building down the street from the U.S. Capitol provided a break in the three-year search for the person who was extorting a young man from Buffalo, New York. —Scott MacFarlane, CBS News, 15 June 2025

Juan was eventually released on May 18, 1996, but the kidnappers held Luis for three additional days, to extort more money from the family. —Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 14 June 2025

Lane allegedly agreed with others to extort a $200,000 ransom payment from a telecommunications company by threatening to publicly disseminate customer data that had been stolen from the company’s computer network. —Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 20 May 2025