blackmail

noun

The extortion of money or favors by threats of public accusation, critique, or exposure.

(by extension) Compromising material that can be used to extort someone.

(BDSM) A type of roleplay where the submissive shares information that may be exploited by the dominant.

(archaic) A form of protection money (or corn, cattle, etc.) anciently paid, in the north of England and south of Scotland, to the allies of robbers in order to be spared from pillage.

(England law, historical) Black rent; rent paid in corn, meat, or the lowest coin, as opposed to white rent, which was paid in silver.

verb

(transitive) To extort money or favors from (a person) by exciting fears of injury other than bodily harm, such as injury to reputation, distress of mind, false accusation, etc.

(Kenya) To speak ill of someone; to defame someone.

Synonyms for blackmail

extortionn shakedownn coercev exactionn ransomn

Synonyms & related words for blackmail

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Words related to blackmail

Explore words related to blackmail — words associated with it, words that go with it, and its nearest matches in meaning. Related words include extortionary, extorter, extortive, extorting, extortionist, extorted, blackmailers, bribery. Click any word to make it the center of the map and keep exploring the web of connections.

Synonyms for blackmail

Common synonyms for blackmail include extortion, shakedown, coerce, exaction, ransom — words that share a close meaning. Hover or tap any word on the map for its definition and part of speech.