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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Recent Examples of extortion
Lewis was sentenced to 10 years in prison for writing an extortion letter regarding the poisonings, but his DNA was never linked to the suspect bottles.
—
Addie Morfoot, Variety, 26 May 2025
The extortion plot was uncovered after Woeltz’s victim managed to escape his swanky Prince and Mulberry Sts.
—Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 24 May 2025
There is compromise, and then there is extortion, and the recent behavior of some Republicans in Congress has begun to resemble the latter.
—The Editors, National Review, 20 May 2025
Baldoni denied the allegations and countersued, accusing Lively of defamation and extortion.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for extortion
Addie Morfoot, Variety, 26 May 2025
The extortion plot was uncovered after Woeltz’s victim managed to escape his swanky Prince and Mulberry Sts.
—Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 24 May 2025
There is compromise, and then there is extortion, and the recent behavior of some Republicans in Congress has begun to resemble the latter.
—The Editors, National Review, 20 May 2025
Baldoni denied the allegations and countersued, accusing Lively of defamation and extortion.
—Jessica Wang, EW.com, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for extortion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extortion
highway robbery
Noun
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To me, one meant highway robbery and the other meant equal pain, equal pleasure.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2025
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The Nets‘ famous offseason trade with the Knicks — centered around Mikal Bridges — looks more like highway robbery each day.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Extortion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extortion. Accessed 11 Jun. 2025.
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