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( blæ kmeɪl )
Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense blackmails , present participle blackmailing , past tense , past participle blackmailed 1. uncountable noun Blackmail is the action of threatening to reveal a secret about someone, unless they do something you tell them to do, such as giving you money.
It looks like the pictures were being used for blackmail.
Opponents accused him of blackmail and extortion.
Synonyms: threat, intimidation , ransom, compulsion More Synonyms of blackmail
2. uncountable noun If you describe an action as emotional or moral blackmail , you disapprove of it because someone is using a person's emotions or moral values to persuade them to do something against their will.
[ disapproval] The tactics employed can range from overt bullying to subtle emotional blackmail.
3. verb If one person blackmails another person, they use blackmail against them.
He alleged that she was blackmailing him. [ VERB noun]
The government insisted that it would not be blackmailed by violence. [ be VERB -ed]
I thought he was trying to blackmail me into saying whatever he wanted. [ VERB noun + into ]
[ Also
VERB noun +
with ] Synonyms: threaten, force, squeeze, compel More Synonyms of blackmail
blackmailer Word forms: plural blackmailers countable noun The nasty thing about a blackmailer is that his starting point is usually the truth.
blackmail in British English ( ˈblækˌmeɪl )
noun 1. the act of attempting to obtain money by intimidation, as by threats to disclose discreditable information
2. the exertion of pressure or threats, esp unfairly, in an attempt to influence someone's actions
verb ( transitive) 3. to exact or attempt to exact (money or anything of value) from (a person) by threats or intimidation; extort
4. to attempt to influence the actions of (a person), esp by unfair pressure or threats
Derived forms
blackmailer ( ˈblackmailer) noun
Word origin
C16: see
black ,
mail 3 blackmail in American English ( ˈblækˌmeɪl )
noun 1. Obsolete a tribute paid to freebooters and bandits along the Scottish border to assure safety from looting
2. a. payment extorted by threatening to disclose information that could bring disgrace or ruin
b. the extortion of such payment
verb transitive 3. to get or try to get blackmail from
4. to coerce (into doing something) as by threats
Derived forms
blackmailer ( ˈblackˌmailer) noun
Word origin
lit., black rent < ME
male, rent, tribute < OE
mal, lawsuit, terms < ON lawsuit, discussion; infl. in ME by OFr
maille, a coin
Examples of 'blackmail' in a sentence blackmail
On the other hand, if their hearts were really set on her services, they could all too easily blackmail her. They're professionals, Drago, they don't give in to intimidation and blackmail. He had film in there to blackmail a whole battalion of US military officers. In other languages blackmail
British English :
blackmail /
ˈblækˌmeɪl /
NOUN Blackmail is the action of threatening to reveal a secret about someone, unless they do something you tell them to do, such as giving you money.
It looks like the pictures were being used for blackmail.
American English : blackmail Arabic : اِبْتِزاز Brazilian Portuguese : chantagem Chinese : 勒索 Croatian : ucjena Czech : vydírání Danish : afpresning Dutch : chantage European Spanish : chantaje Finnish : kiristys French : chantage German : Erpressung Greek : εκβιασμός Italian : ricatto Japanese : 恐喝 Korean : 협박 Norwegian : utpressing Polish : szantaż European Portuguese : chantagem Romanian : șantaj Russian : шантаж Latin American Spanish : chantaje Swedish : utpressning Thai : การขู่ว่าจะเปิดโปงความลับ Turkish : şantaj Ukrainian : шантаж Vietnamese : sự tống tiền British English :
blackmail /
ˈblækˌmeɪl /
VERB If one person blackmails another person, they use blackmail against them.
He told her their affair would have to stop, because he was being blackmailed.
American English : blackmail Arabic : يَبْتَزُّ بالتَّهْدِيد Brazilian Portuguese : chantagear Chinese : 勒索 Croatian : ucjenjivati Czech : vydírat Danish : afpresse Dutch : chanteren European Spanish : chantajear Finnish : kiristää vaatia rahaa tms.French : faire chanter German : erpressen Greek : εκβιάζω Italian : ricattare Japanese : 恐喝する Korean : 협박하다 Norwegian : utpresse Polish : zaszantażować European Portuguese : chantagear Romanian : a șantaja Russian : шантажировать Latin American Spanish : chantajear Swedish : utpressa Thai : หักหลัง Turkish : şantaj yapmak Ukrainian : шантажувати Vietnamese : tống tiền Chinese translation of 'blackmail'
Definition
the use of unfair pressure in an attempt to influence someone
It looks like the pictures were being used for blackmail.
Synonyms
threat
intimidation
ransom
compulsion
protection (informal)
pay-off (informal)
shakedown
hush money (slang)
exaction
Definition
to attempt to influence (a person) by unfair pressure
I thought he was trying to blackmail me into saying whatever he wanted.
Synonyms
threaten
press-gang
hold to ransom
Additional synonyms Definition
to obtain money, etc., from (someone), esp. by extortion
They mean to bleed the common people dry.
Synonyms
extort ,
milk ,
squeeze ,
drain ,
exhaust ,
fleece Definition
to compel or force
He argued that the government had coerced him into resigning.
Synonyms
force ,
compel ,
bully ,
intimidate ,
railroad (informal) ,
constrain ,
bulldoze (informal) ,
dragoon ,
pressurize ,
browbeat ,
press-gang ,
twist (someone's) arm (informal) ,
drive It was vital that the elections should be free of coercion or intimidation.
Synonyms
force ,
pressure ,
threats ,
bullying ,
constraint ,
intimidation ,
compulsion ,
duress ,
browbeating ,
strong-arm tactics (informal)