as in cheating
the exaction of a grossly excessive charge for goods or services
six dollars for a cup of coffee is just plain extortion
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of extortion
Google has confirmed that victims are receiving extortion demands.
—
Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026
Authorities across the region have linked the group to human trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, contract killings, drug trafficking and migrant smuggling.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026
The charge of use of interstate facilities to commit bribery and extortion can lead to a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026
One of their most profitable strategies this summer will be extortion, security analysts say.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for extortion
Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026
Authorities across the region have linked the group to human trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, contract killings, drug trafficking and migrant smuggling.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 12 June 2026
The charge of use of interstate facilities to commit bribery and extortion can lead to a sentence of up to five years in prison, three years of supervised release, and a $250,000 fine.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 10 June 2026
One of their most profitable strategies this summer will be extortion, security analysts say.
—Michael Rios, CNN Money, 10 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for extortion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extortion
Noun
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Other research on high school cheating found in 2020 that 64% of 70,000 high school students across the country admitted to cheating on a test, and 58% admitted to plagiarism.—
Austin Sarat,
The Conversation,
17 June 2026
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Whatever romance Rodrigo is tracing the history of apparently did not end in cheating or any other horrible behavior that would lead her back toward the kind of recriminatory rockers that were among the previous albums’ highlights.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
12 June 2026
Noun
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But the buildup to America’s first time hosting the World Cup since 1994 has been nonstop controversy, from exorbitant ticket cost and price-gouging for public transportation to our country’s far-right immigration policies scaring away many would-be visitors.—
Greg Cote
June 10,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
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The ancient Greek sport of pankration employed techniques from the more structured disciplines of boxing and wrestling, with no rules except for prohibitions on eye-gouging and biting.—
Harmeet Kaur,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
Noun
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Three games into his Colorado Rapids tenure, the club paying $125,000 in General Allocation Money — less than the going price of an international roster slot — is looking like highway robbery.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
14 Sep. 2025
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This was a dangerous situation and was literally highway robbery.—
U T Readers,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 July 2025
Noun
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Thanks to its fleecing of New Orleans during last year’s draft, Atlanta gets either the Pelicans’ or the Bucks’ first-round pick — whichever winds up higher.—
Tyler Estep,
AJC.com,
6 May 2026
Noun
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Dish only had to agree to stop overcharging subscribers.—
Shaun Boyd,
CBS News,
11 June 2026
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Corporations have gotten away with overcharging consumers for far too long, but wages have stayed the same.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Extortion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extortion. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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