blackmail

noun

black·​mail ˈblak-ˌmāl 

1

: a tribute anciently exacted on the Scottish border by plundering chiefs in exchange for immunity from pillage

2

a

: extortion or coercion by threats especially of public exposure or criminal prosecution

b

: the payment that is extorted

blackmail transitive verb

blackmailer noun

Examples of blackmail in a Sentence

She was a victim of blackmail.

The servant extorted blackmail from her employer.

Recent Examples on the Web

The day the lawsuit was refiled, Jay-Z’s management company, Roc Nation, posted a lengthy statement on X casting doubt on the claims and alleging that Buzbee sent his lawyer a blackmail attempt. —Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 15 Feb. 2025

In the years since the pandemic, reports of the blackmail surged — kids were online more, cybercriminals became more effective, and their operations grew in scale and organization. —Rachel Hale, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2025

American adversaries surely see an espionage and blackmail bonanza. —James Goldgeier, Foreign Affairs, 7 Feb. 2025

When victims hesitated, resisted or threatened to tell parents or authorities, the men would use various forms of blackmail to retain power over them, prosecutors allege. —Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 31 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

black entry 1 + mail entry 4

First Known Use

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing blackmail

• emotional blackmail

Kids Definition

blackmail

noun

black·​mail ˈblak-ˌmāl 

1

: the act of forcing a person to do or pay something especially by a threat to reveal a secret

2

: something (as money) obtained through blackmail

blackmail verb

blackmailer noun

Etymology

from black (the color) and mail "rent, payment," from Old English māl "agreement," of Norse origin

Word Origin

The word blackmail has no connection at all with the postal system. In the 16th and part of the 17th centuries, the area along the border between England and Scotland was not usually protected by the officials on either side. Landholders were beset not only by outlaws but also by their own chieftains, who told them that in return for payment they would not be raided. In Scotland mail means "rent" or "payment." This word comes ultimately from an Old Norse word māl meaning "agreement" or "speech." The mail delivered by a letter carrier originally meant "sack, bag," and referred to the sack in which letters were carried; it is hence completely distinct in origin from the mail of blackmail.

Legal Definition

blackmail

noun

black·​mail ˈblak-ˌmāl 

: extortion or coercion by often written threats especially of public exposure, physical harm, or criminal prosecution

blackmail transitive verb

blackmailer

-ˌmā-lər

noun

Etymology

originally, payment extorted from farmers in Scotland and northern England, from black + dialectal mail payment, rent