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
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The third season, based on Michael Connelly’s best-selling novels Desert Star and The Black Ice, will center on a murder investigation of Kurt Dockweiler, which threatens to ruin the lives of the series’ three main characters.—
Etan Vlessing,
The Hollywood Reporter,
27 Feb. 2025 -
The 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada had already been set to go into effect, but the president had not previously threatened to impose an additional 10% tariffs on Chinese imports after the initial 10% tariff on the country’s goods went into effect earlier this month.—
Elisabeth Buchwald,
CNN,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Risks remain—policy shifts could stall, or DOGE’s efficiency drive might squeeze budgets—but the upside potential is tantalizing.—
Jaime Catmull,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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The international order forged after World War II is imploding, squeezed on all sides by the return of strongmen, nationalism and spheres of influence — with President Trump leading the charge.—
Zachary Basu,
Axios,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The severity of this year’s flu season is driven by a combination of factors, experts suggested.—
Karissa Waddick,
USA TODAY,
20 Feb. 2025
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Rochelle sees her mother as irresponsible and unreliable, but Vanessa's actions are driven by her love for her children.—
Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal,
Parents,
19 Feb. 2025
Verb
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More recently, she was accused of trying to extort $25,000 from a longtime political opponent her office later charged with a felony.—
Nate Gartrell,
The Mercury News,
24 Feb. 2025
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Mayers didn’t testify in his own defense, but his lawyer Joe Tacopina subjected Ephron to a bruising cross-examination that accused him of fabricating the shell casing evidence to try to extort his wealthy friend with a $30 million lawsuit.—
Nancy Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
18 Feb. 2025
Verb
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If the secret aim of Train to Busan was to leave a calling card, this will certainly impress backers with bigger budgets.—
Mia Galuppo,
The Hollywood Reporter,
28 Feb. 2025
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The versatile actor impressed critics with a wide range of roles, expertly embodying a New York City detective in one film and Superman's most iconic adversary in the next.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA TODAY,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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While in Washington, Yehuda tries to coerce senators and congresspeople into negotiating with Hamas for the handover of Liat and Aviv, although the latter’s whereabouts remain unknown.—
Jordan Mintzer,
The Hollywood Reporter,
20 Feb. 2025
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America's adversaries, such as Russia and Belarus, are becoming increasingly emboldened to detain U.S. civilians to coerce Washington into lopsided deals that serve their political and strategic interests, experts said.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
19 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Kansas did an excellent job closing off driving lanes, causing turnovers and forcing OSU to take bad shots.—
Shreyas Laddha,
Kansas City Star,
23 Feb. 2025
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At some point, builders will be forced to cut prices to liquidate inventories.—
Terry Savage,
Chicago Tribune,
23 Feb. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Blackmail.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmail. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.
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