Meaning & use
extortionist
A person who obtains money or something else of value from someone through threats, force, or intimidation.
See it in a sentence
Police arrested the extortionist who had been threatening local shop owners for protection money.
The letter revealed that the extortionist wanted payment within a week or he would expose the photos.
A note on using this word
Extortionist and extortioner are both accepted forms; the related verb is extort and the crime is called extortion.
Words with a similar meaning
blackmailer
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
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