blackmail

noun

black·​mail ˈblak-ˌmāl How to pronounce blackmail (audio)
1
: a tribute anciently exacted on the Scottish border by plundering chiefs in exchange for immunity from pillage
2
a
: extortion or coercion by threats especially of public exposure or criminal prosecution
b
: the payment that is extorted
blackmail transitive verb
blackmailer noun

Examples of blackmail in a Sentence

She was a victim of blackmail. The servant extorted blackmail from her employer.
Recent Examples on the Web The suit comes just days after Lasry, Avenue Capital, and cofounder Sonia Gardner sued Gina Strum, accusing her of carrying out a decade-long campaign of harassment and blackmail and then seeking $50 million from the firm. Alena Botros, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2024 After the Nuzzi and Kennedy story erupted in media circles and sparked a tabloid feeding frenzy, Nuzzi sued the political journalist and her ex-fiancé, Ryan Lizza, for harassment and blackmail. Katie Kilkenny, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Oct. 2024 Suddenly caught in a high stakes game of blackmail, murder and revenge, Philip is forced to risk everything only to face the greatest danger of all – winning. Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 14 Oct. 2024 In her request for a no-contact order, Nuzzi accused her former boyfriend Ryan Lizza, a prominent political journalist with Politico, of organizing a harassment and blackmail campaign against her, culminating with last month’s career-threatening disclosure. David K. Li, NBC News, 2 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for blackmail 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'blackmail.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blackmail was in 1552

Dictionary Entries Near blackmail

Cite this Entry

“Blackmail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blackmail. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

blackmail

noun
black·​mail ˈblak-ˌmāl How to pronounce blackmail (audio)
1
: the act of forcing a person to do or pay something especially by a threat to reveal a secret
2
: something (as money) obtained through blackmail
blackmail verb
blackmailer noun
Etymology

from black (the color) and mail "rent, payment," from Old English māl "agreement," of Norse origin

Word Origin
The word blackmail has no connection at all with the postal system. In the 16th and part of the 17th centuries, the area along the border between England and Scotland was not usually protected by the officials on either side. Landholders were beset not only by outlaws but also by their own chieftains, who told them that in return for payment they would not be raided. In Scotland mail means "rent" or "payment." This word comes ultimately from an Old Norse word māl meaning "agreement" or "speech." The mail delivered by a letter carrier originally meant "sack, bag," and referred to the sack in which letters were carried; it is hence completely distinct in origin from the mail of blackmail.

Legal Definition

blackmail

noun
black·​mail ˈblak-ˌmāl How to pronounce blackmail (audio)
: extortion or coercion by often written threats especially of public exposure, physical harm, or criminal prosecution
blackmail transitive verb
blackmailer
-ˌmā-lər
noun
Etymology

originally, payment extorted from farmers in Scotland and northern England, from black + dialectal mail payment, rent

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