Definition of extortnext
as in to coerce
to get (as money) by the use of force or threats a school bully who was used to extorting lunch money from weaker kids

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb extort contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of extort are educe, elicit, evoke, and extract. While all these words mean "to draw out something hidden, latent, or reserved," extort suggests a wringing or wresting from one who resists strongly.

extorted their cooperation by threatening to inform

Where would educe be a reasonable alternative to extort?

While the synonyms educe and extort are close in meaning, educe implies the bringing out of something potential or latent.

educed order out of chaos

In what contexts can elicit take the place of extort?

In some situations, the words elicit and extort are roughly equivalent. However, elicit usually implies some effort or skill in drawing forth a response.

careful questioning elicited the truth

When is evoke a more appropriate choice than extort?

The synonyms evoke and extort are sometimes interchangeable, but evoke implies a strong stimulus that arouses an emotion or an interest or recalls an image or memory.

a song that evokes warm memories

When could extract be used to replace extort?

The words extract and extort can be used in similar contexts, but extract implies the use of force or pressure in obtaining answers or information.

extracted a confession from him

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 extort In 2024, the FBI warned that use of deepfake tools to extort young people is a growing problem that has led to instances of self harm and suicide. Calmatters, Mercury News, 15 Jan. 2026 According to the indictment, the two defendants engaged in a racketeering conspiracy, committed multiple murders, engaged in drug distribution and extorted victims. Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2026 The filing also contends McFadden’s comments amounted to an attempt to extort Cunningham into changing her vote and an attempt at bribery. Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 5 Jan. 2026 The couple allegedly asked customers’ family members to send original passports to them and then frequently refused to return the passports unless customers paid hundreds of dollars more, effectively extorting them, Ellison’s office said. Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 22 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for extort
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extort
Verb
  • The uncle alleged that the donations made by Yamagami’s mother, which by then totalled seven hundred thousand dollars, had been coerced.
    E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Don't let somebody coerce you into scanning them up on the floor, because everybody's trying to get to Coach Prime.
    Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 24 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • In any case, makers of non-AI systems could potentially be squeezed into this definition, so all software and systems developers should be mindful of whether their automation could fall into this zone.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 25 Jan. 2026
  • The loss of those supplies — and the hard currency Havana earned by reselling part of them — has further squeezed an already fragile economy.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 24 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Gently squeeze out the excess water with your hands, but don't wring or twist the fabric.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 18 Jan. 2026
  • Decades of warming have wrung many parts of the US dry.
    Mark Gongloff, Mercury News, 17 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Yet overall, the electrohydraulic steering, electronically adjustable damping, and brake-by-wire system combine for handling that feels as exacting as the monocoque’s tolerances.
    Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 24 Jan. 2026
  • With the inimitable Chef Devin Denzer at the helm, Atsumeru utilizes the exacting refinement of traditional Japanese technique and blends it with the discipline, color, and loveliness of Nordic fare.
    Wendy Altschuler, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • In 2005, a handful of libertarians attempted, with little success, to wrest control of the government.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026
  • The rise of hip-hop and the films of Spike Lee in the late 1980s and early 1990s forced a revival of Malcolm X, a reclaiming of him by Black America, wrested from his historical framing by the white mainstream, which during his time did not love him.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Extort.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extort. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.

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