as in threatening
to use blackmail against (someone)
The old man was being blackmailed by his nephew.
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Recent Examples of blackmailing
At its mid-’90s peak, upwards of 14 million people tuned in each week to see who was sleeping with, blackmailing or attempting to murder whom.
—
Andrea Lavinthal, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
While Duncan blackmailing his doctor would have made for a perfectly satisfying conclusion, the episode packs one more mic drop.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
Members of the group allegedly conduct coordinated extortions of teens by blackmailing them.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Aviles and his attorney have denied the blackmailing accusation.
—Connor Greene, Time, 4 Mar. 2026
Whitney had a Jeffrey Epstein-like habit of blackmailing powerful associates with recordings of intimate moments, often with his ex-escort assistant Haley (Kiernan Shipka).
—Alison Herman, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026
Gonzales has refused to address the report and instead claims the late staffer's husband is blackmailing him.
—Jj Velasquez, San Antonio Express-News, 22 Feb. 2026
These creations are doing things their makers can’t explain, including blackmailing, lying, refusing to shut down and telling kids how to commit suicide.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Pavel accused Macinka of blackmailing him.
—ABC News, 15 Feb. 2026
Andrea Lavinthal, PEOPLE, 22 Apr. 2026
While Duncan blackmailing his doctor would have made for a perfectly satisfying conclusion, the episode packs one more mic drop.
—Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Apr. 2026
Members of the group allegedly conduct coordinated extortions of teens by blackmailing them.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 26 Mar. 2026
Aviles and his attorney have denied the blackmailing accusation.
—Connor Greene, Time, 4 Mar. 2026
Whitney had a Jeffrey Epstein-like habit of blackmailing powerful associates with recordings of intimate moments, often with his ex-escort assistant Haley (Kiernan Shipka).
—Alison Herman, Variety, 2 Mar. 2026
Gonzales has refused to address the report and instead claims the late staffer's husband is blackmailing him.
—Jj Velasquez, San Antonio Express-News, 22 Feb. 2026
These creations are doing things their makers can’t explain, including blackmailing, lying, refusing to shut down and telling kids how to commit suicide.
—Los Angeles Times, 19 Feb. 2026
Pavel accused Macinka of blackmailing him.
—ABC News, 15 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blackmailing
Verb
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Judge’s homer ended up being the game-winning run, as the Rangers scored two runs in the bottom of the ninth inning and were threatening for more.—
Ryan Canfield,
FOXNews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Of course, most of this is for show, just as Carr’s podcasts appearances last year threatening Kimmel were a bunch of hot air.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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From truckers to commuters, gasoline prices are squeezing budgets across the country.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The university is scheduled to replace the turf in July, squeezing into a tight window of summer events.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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For Ioane, that comes in the form of driving a defensive lineman into the ground to clear a path for his quarterback or running back.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
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But the judge said that Hallford made credible claims of being a victim of domestic violence and that her ex-husband, Jon Hallford, was the driving force in their relationship.—
Colleen Slevin,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Dozens of armed groups run rampant in Port-au-Prince and surrounding areas, extorting businesses, kidnapping people and driving farmers off their land.—
Caitlin Stephen Hu,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2026
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The official reports into that incident show that Epstein initially told prison officials that his cellmate had tried to kill him after extorting him for money.—
Julie K. Brown,
Miami Herald,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After beginning the season out of the rotation, Jakucionis went on to crack the Heat’s rotation in December by impressing coaches with his energy, playmaking skills and ability to hold up on defense.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
23 Apr. 2026
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Rivera was able to complete 10 out of the 14 exercises without quitting, impressing the Father Stu star.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
PEOPLE,
18 Apr. 2026
Verb
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As a whole, Minnesota’s lengthy, harassing defense is causing Denver issues.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Prosecutors accused 37-year-old James Strahler of creating more than 700 non-consensual images and videos of adult women and minors, harassing the women with phone calls, messages and online postings.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blackmailing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blackmailing. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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