as in gangster
a person who gets money from another by using force or threats
the racketeer threatened to have his thugs vandalize the shop if the shopkeeper didn't pay him a monthly bribe
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to blackmail
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of racketeer
Time, 25 July 2023
Stephanie was cunning—even ruthless—and a notorious racketeer.
—The New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2023
Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 12 June 2024
Among Trump's charges are racketeering, soliciting state officials to violate their oaths of office, filing false statements and conspiracy dealing with fake electors in the state.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for racketeer 
Noun
As revealed in previously undisclosed FBI files, Manton fraternized with racketeers and accepted large loans and gifts from such unsavory sources.
—Time, 25 July 2023
Stephanie was cunning—even ruthless—and a notorious racketeer.
—The New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2023
Verb
In 1994, Jeff Gillooly, Tonya Harding’s ex-husband, pleaded guilty in Portland, Oregon, to racketeering for his part in the attack on figure skater Nancy Kerrigan in exchange for a 24-month sentence and a $100,000 fine.
—Lorenzino Estrada, The Arizona Republic, 12 June 2024
Among Trump's charges are racketeering, soliciting state officials to violate their oaths of office, filing false statements and conspiracy dealing with fake electors in the state.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 30 Jan. 2024
See all Example Sentences for racketeer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for racketeer
Noun
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Rolling with the sound of Slo-Be Bryant 3, one of the great West Coast tapes of the 2020s, Slo-Be’s steely, ominous murmurs give his sentimental gangster rap the air of sorcery.Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 9 Dec. 2024
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It is described as an epic crime series about the most powerful gangster in history to ever turn state’s evidence and an in-depth look at the inner workings of the Mafia.Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Long maintaining that the protesters are just thugs, Najmeh painfully removes the rounds from Sadaf’s bleeding wounds, her assumptions about the government she’s loyally obeyed falling away.Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024
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The society of Iverson’s youth rendered him an unredeemable thug and jailed him for it as a minor.Marcus Thompson II, The Athletic, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The Justice Department’s unsealed complaint alleges that Martin groomed, extorted, and threatened underage girls, forcing them to harm themselves or others while recording the acts.Olivia Rose, The Arizona Republic, 13 Dec. 2024
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These apps steal sensitive data, trap users in predatory loan schemes, and extort money.Emil Sayegh, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The swelling of the brain, in turn, can contribute to early signs of hypernatremia, typically headache, fatigue, and muscle weakness.10 Dehydration is one of the primary causes of hypernatremia.James Myhre & Dennis Sifris, MD, Verywell Health, 16 Dec. 2024
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Amador Valley responded with its first score since the first quarter as Tia muscled into the end zone on a four-yard quarterback keeper, cutting the deficit to 19-16.Justice delos Santos, The Mercury News, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Wynant’s character is coerced into releasing a man imprisoned in a monastery who turns out to be the devil.Nick Thomas, Hartford Courant, 5 Nov. 2024
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Vance also suggested that wealthy parents might go so far as to coerce their children to undergo gender surgeries to get into better colleges and universities.Karissa Waddick, USA TODAY, 1 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Posey wasn’t sufficiently deterred by the fact that signing Adames, who had been extended a qualifying offer by the Brewers, will force the Giants to sacrifice their second- and fifth-round picks along with $1 million in international bonus money from their 2026 pool.Andrew Baggarly, The Athletic, 8 Dec. 2024
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About two dozen street vendors who were forced to pack up their wares as detectives investigated the shooting were spotted waiting outside the police cordon following the incident.Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The Franklin fire continued to menace the coastal city, growing by 39% overnight and burning close to some residential neighborhoods and an RV park.Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
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The 37-year-old man who set his Brooklyn apartment building on fire during an hours-long standoff with police had menaced a neighbor with a knife and started the blaze with a makeshift Molotov cocktail, police said Friday.Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 9 Aug. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Racketeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/racketeer. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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