Meaning & use
Blackmailed
Last updated
Coerced someone into giving money or acting a certain way by threatening to reveal damaging or embarrassing information about them.
See it in a sentence
The executive was blackmailed after private emails were stolen from his account.
She reported to the police that she had been blackmailed for months.
A note on using this word
The 'black' in blackmail originally referred to a corrupt tribute paid to protection racketeers along the Scottish border in the 16th century.
Words with a similar meaning
extortedcoerced
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