extortion

[ ik-stawr-shuhn ]
See synonyms for extortion on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. an act or instance of extorting.

  2. Law. the crime of obtaining money or some other thing of value by the abuse of one's office or authority.

  1. oppressive or illegal exaction, as of excessive price or interest: the extortions of usurers.

  2. anything extorted.

Origin of extortion

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English extorcion, from Late Latin extortiōn-, stem of extortiō, literally, “a twisting away,” from extort(us) + -iō noun suffix; see extort, -ion

Other words for extortion

Other words from extortion

  • non·ex·tor·tion, noun

Words that may be confused with extortion

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use extortion in a sentence

  • But the dominant party, elated by the victory which they had gained over their adversaries, were encouraged to fresh extortions.

  • In short, they are human parasites on the larger natives, who suffer from their extortions, yet fear to provoke their enmity.

    Man And His Ancestor | Charles Morris
  • It is unnecessary to give the particulars of the series of extortions committed on the Perigos.

  • In order to debase Matvey, whose superiority irritates him, Titov asks him to participate in his extortions.

  • For that very reason, what but love can soften the curses which my father's extortions from the country will entail upon me?

    Love and Intrigue | Friedrich Schiller

British Dictionary definitions for extortion

extortion

/ (ɪkˈstɔːʃən) /


noun
  1. the act of securing money, favours, etc by intimidation or violence; blackmail

Derived forms of extortion

  • extortioner or extortionist, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012