extortion

noun

ik-ˈstȯr-shən How to pronounce extortion (audio)
Definition of extortionnext
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of extortion Peruvians voted in favor of Fujimori amid a surge in violent crime, extortion and years of political instability. — Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 1 July 2026 Baldoni later responded with his own $400 million lawsuit against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds, and their publicist, Leslie Sloane, claiming defamation, civil extortion, invasion of privacy, and breach of contract. — Shania Russell, Entertainment Weekly, 30 June 2026 Those caught in the violence include not just those directly involved in the drug wars against the government and rival groups, but also the victims of robberies, extortion, activists, and environmental defenders. — Jacob Whitehead, New York Times, 26 June 2026 Many left Colombia because of insecurity, extortion, violence or political instability. — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 22 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for extortion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extortion
  1. cheating
  2. gouging
  3. highway robbery
  4. fleecing
  5. overcharging
Noun
  • Despite multiple requests from test takers and lawmakers, the DMV has not provided any details about the nature of the alleged cheating, and some of those who must take the test over feel like they’ve been unfairly accused.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
  • But that successful act of cheating is central to Maradona’s legend, as is his defiance in the aftermath.
    — Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 16 July 2026
Definition of cheating
Noun
  • Other advantages include the fact that ownership of compute may reduce dependency on price fluctuations and gouging.
    — Forbes.com, Forbes.com, 27 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of gouging
Noun
  • In March 1829, he was convicted in London on two counts of highway robbery and sentenced to fourteen years.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of highway robbery
Noun
  • 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
Definition of fleecing
Noun
  • Dish only had to agree to stop overcharging subscribers.
    — Shaun Boyd, CBS News, 11 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of overcharging

Browse Nearby Words

extorting
extortion
extortionately
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Extortion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extortion. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on extortion

Nglish: Translation of extortion for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about extortion

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