as in squeezing
to get (as money) by the use of force or threats
a school bully who was used to extorting lunch money from weaker kids
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Recent Examples of extorting
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extorting
Verb
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Row the dumbbell up towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together.—
Jakob Roze,
Health,
8 Sep. 2025
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While startups occasionally push boundaries with optimization techniques—squeezing more efficiency out of existing silicon—barriers to entry are overwhelmingly high.—
Forbes.com,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Pressuring or coercing someone into ending their life would be punishable by up to 14 years in prison.—
Alistair Smout,
USA TODAY,
29 Nov. 2024
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That same sentence will remain for anyone found guilty of tricking, pressuring or coercing someone into making the choice if the bill is ultimately passed.—
David Hodari,
NBC News,
29 Nov. 2024
Verb
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In the film, Maddie cheerfully navigates the politics of her jealous co-worker (Claudia O’Doherty), exacting boss (Connor O’Malley) and lesbian BFF (Berlant) at the sunny studios of Gourmaybe.—
Ethan Shanfeld,
Variety,
4 Sep. 2025
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The 75-year-old British-American editor's cool temperament and exacting standards became legendary over the course of her career, going on to inspire Meryl Streep's beloved character in the 2006 comedy The Devil Wears Prada.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Whatever minor hand-wringing the opening of the 113-room hotel may have caused, it’s been widely embraced in the few years since opening.—
Kim Velsey,
Curbed,
4 Sep. 2025
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They’re all designed to grab your attention by sounding the alarm, then close with a hand-wringing quote from someone who probably missed the last bull run.—
Frank Holmes,
Forbes.com,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The legislation will limit repayment options and cap borrowing limits for graduate students, including eliminating Graduate PLUS loans, forcing more students to apply for private loans or reconsider their education options.—
Rachel Hale,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
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The outbreak was forcing a shortage of eggs as well, leading some grocers to restrict how many dozens of eggs consumers could buy per visit.—
Olivia Evans,
Louisville Courier Journal,
3 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Extorting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extorting. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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