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
The 71-year-old was convicted in July 2024 of 16 counts, including extortion, conspiracy, obstruction of justice and acting as a foreign agent.
—
Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 18 June 2025
Those born in the generation—from 1997 to 2012—were more likely to encounter extortion scams than older age groups.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
Under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO, there are 35 specific offenses, including kidnapping, murder, bribery and extortion, and federal prosecutors need to show a pattern involving at least two overt acts as part of a criminal enterprise.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2025
Ed Burke, who spent a record 54 years on the City Council and went to prison for racketeering, bribery and extortion.
—Ray Long, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for extortion
Sarah D. Wire, USA Today, 18 June 2025
Those born in the generation—from 1997 to 2012—were more likely to encounter extortion scams than older age groups.
—Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
Under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, known as RICO, there are 35 specific offenses, including kidnapping, murder, bribery and extortion, and federal prosecutors need to show a pattern involving at least two overt acts as part of a criminal enterprise.
—Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2025
Ed Burke, who spent a record 54 years on the City Council and went to prison for racketeering, bribery and extortion.
—Ray Long, Chicago Tribune, 15 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for extortion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extortion
highway robbery
Noun
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Hospitals have gotten away with this sort of highway robbery for years, thanks to a combination of consolidation and misleading arguments.—
Craig M. Wax,
Boston Herald,
13 June 2025
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To me, one meant highway robbery and the other meant equal pain, equal pleasure.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Extortion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extortion. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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