as in cheating
the exaction of a grossly excessive charge for goods or services
six dollars for a cup of coffee is just plain extortion
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Recent Examples of extortion
Baldoni denied the allegations and, in January, filed a countersuit, alleging defamation and extortion against Lively, her husband Ryan Reynolds and their publicity team.
—
Martha Ross, Mercury News, 14 May 2025
The extortion claim comes after Baldoni’s team claimed Swift and Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, peer pressured him to accept Lively’s revisions on a rooftop scene in the movie.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 14 May 2025
Baldoni then filed a $400 million countersuit against Lively and Reynolds, claiming defamation and extortion.
—Benjamin Vanhoose, People.com, 14 May 2025
The twin sister of Captain Hastings wife, Dulcie, has been kidnapped — and Hercule Poirot rightly expects not only extortion to follow, but murder.
—Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for extortion
Martha Ross, Mercury News, 14 May 2025
The extortion claim comes after Baldoni’s team claimed Swift and Lively’s husband, Ryan Reynolds, peer pressured him to accept Lively’s revisions on a rooftop scene in the movie.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 14 May 2025
Baldoni then filed a $400 million countersuit against Lively and Reynolds, claiming defamation and extortion.
—Benjamin Vanhoose, People.com, 14 May 2025
The twin sister of Captain Hastings wife, Dulcie, has been kidnapped — and Hercule Poirot rightly expects not only extortion to follow, but murder.
—Ut Community Press, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for extortion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extortion
highway robbery
Noun
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To me, one meant highway robbery and the other meant equal pain, equal pleasure.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2025
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The Nets‘ famous offseason trade with the Knicks — centered around Mikal Bridges — looks more like highway robbery each day.—
C.J. Holmes,
New York Daily News,
4 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Extortion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extortion. Accessed 7 Jun. 2025.
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