extort
Law.
to wrest or wring (money, information, etc.) from a person by violence, intimidation, or abuse of authority; obtain by force, torture, threat, or the like.
to take illegally by reason of one's office.
to compel (something) of a person or thing: Her wit and intelligence extorted their admiration.
Origin of extort
1synonym study For extort
Other words from extort
- ex·tort·er, noun
- ex·tor·tive, adjective
- non·ex·tor·tive, adjective
- un·ex·tort·ed, adjective
Words Nearby extort
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use extort in a sentence
By the 1980s, agents learned that he was supervising a street crew that specialized in extorting well-off business owners.
In the middle of the year, a swelling wave of cryptocurrency scams invoked the coronavirus to extort or blackmail people.
Here's How Shopping Scams on Facebook Are Ripping Off Thousands of Customers, With the Money Flowing Overseas | Andrew R. Chow | December 19, 2020 | TimeFalwell claims Liberty damaged his reputation, alleging the university accepted without verifying what he called false statements made by a man who had an affair with Falwell’s wife and attempted to extort the couple, according to the complaint.
Jerry Falwell Jr. sues Liberty University, says school damaged his reputation | Susan Svrluga, Sarah Pulliam Bailey | October 29, 2020 | Washington PostMany of these bribes happened at makeshift roadblocks set up by SARS officers in order to extort drivers and passengers.
The Nigerian Government Has Pledged to #EndSARS and Reform the Police. This Isn't the First Time They've Made That Promise | Andrew R. Chow | October 28, 2020 | TimeIn discussions monitored by the FBI, the hackers said they had hoped to extort $4 million from Tesla via the plot.
The FBI broke up a Russian hacker plot to extort millions from Tesla | Aaron Pressman | August 28, 2020 | Fortune
Kellner was also charged with attempting to extort the Lebovits family.
Or a stranger willing to let you use their cellphone to call your family might save their number and use it to extort them later.
How Mexico’s Cartels Are Behind the Border Kid Crisis | Caitlin Dickson | July 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTWhat Republicans will attempt to extort from the White House will be decided at their retreat in January.
Republicans Compromise on the Budget, but Don’t Expect Them To Compromise on the Debt Ceiling | Eleanor Clift | December 18, 2013 | THE DAILY BEASTThey say he tried to extort more money from them on the way out of Syria, but Mousa engaged him angrily in Arabic.
Instead, it would rather sabotage the game and try to extort its way to a victory.
One day some commissioners called at her cell, hoping to extort from her the secret of her husband's retreat.
Madame Roland, Makers of History | John S. C. AbbottIn reality, Alleyn wanted to extort a larger rental than £14 for the property, which had greatly increased in value.
Shakespearean Playhouses | Joseph Quincy AdamsHis prisoners were tied up and beaten with naked cutlasses in order to extort information about their concealed hoards.
The History of England from the Accession of James II. | Thomas Babington MacaulayBut as it was, the lady had sufficient power to extort a promise that I would devote myself to the work.
Papers from Overlook-House | Casper AlmoreBesides, how could he be sure that Billy would not play upon his fears to extort further sums?
Eric, or Little by Little | Frederic W. Farrar
British Dictionary definitions for extort
/ (ɪkˈstɔːt) /
to secure (money, favours, etc) by intimidation, violence, or the misuse of influence or authority
to obtain by importunate demands: the children extorted a promise of a trip to the zoo
to overcharge for (something, esp interest on a loan)
Origin of extort
1Derived forms of extort
- extorter, noun
- extortive, adjective
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
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