as in to threaten
to use blackmail against (someone)
The old man was being blackmailed by his nephew.
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmail
Verb
-
If the sky becomes threatening and thunder can be heard, find a safe place to shelter.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
15 June 2025 -
And these messages threaten the peace of mind of thousands of Minnesotans who face the uncertainty of whether these messages are authentic.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
15 June 2025
Verb
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In some towns, utility poles were removed so the caravans could squeeze through.—
Angela Jackson,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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Hundreds of people squeezed into the Jewish Community Center in Boulder, Colo., for a vigil that featured prayer, singing and emotional testimony from a victim and witnesses of the firebombing attack in the city’s downtown, after a federal judge blocked the deportation of the suspect’s family.—
Colleen Slevin,
Los Angeles Times,
5 June 2025
Verb
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Cultural messaging conditions women to play small We’re encouraged to be grateful, careful, and selfless; not bold, strategic, or profit driven.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
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Goldstein drove Boozer home with a sacrifice fly and Corral plated the go-ahead run with a single through the right side.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 June 2025
Verb
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He should have been arrested right then and there for the FBI for trying to extort Natalie's mother.—
Audrey Conklin,
FOXNews.com,
30 May 2025
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Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan Freedman, then alleged in a legal filing that Lively was attempting to extort a statement of support from Swift.—
Kory Grow,
Rolling Stone,
22 May 2025
Verb
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Halfway through Trump’s first year in office, his aides sought to impress on him the value of the United States’ global position.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
16 June 2025
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The ballpark, which completed $45 million in renovations in 2024, still impressed DeMartini a few days into his tenure.—
Charlotte Varnes,
New York Times,
16 June 2025
Verb
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Defense attorneys for the juvenile defendants, Matthew Niemiec and Mark Grier, said the suspects were coerced into the alleged crime.—
Audrey Conklin,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2025
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Scammers often ask for money or coerce their victims into performing harmful acts.—
Nicole Valdes,
CBS News,
31 May 2025
Verb
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Despite Anna’s meticulous preparations, her intent to force confessions from the passengers and deliver them directly to authorities is immediately derailed when just hours into the trip one of her guests is murdered.—
Lexy Perez,
HollywoodReporter,
10 June 2025
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Whether that’s a trial site, a community center or the patient’s workplace, this model removes friction from both ends: Participants aren’t forced to travel, and sponsors don’t have to wait for overwhelmed sites to come online.—
Sonali Bloom,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Blackmail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmail. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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