blackmail
/ˈblækˌmeɪl/
noun
- The act of forcing someone to do something by threatening to reveal secret or embarrassing information about them.
- Blackmail is a serious crime in most countries.
- The politician resigned after being accused of blackmail.
- She paid the blackmail to keep her private letters from being published.
Synonyms
verb
- To force someone to do something by threatening to reveal secret or embarrassing information about them.
- He tried to blackmail his boss by threatening to leak company secrets.
- They blackmailed the witness into changing their story.
- No one should ever blackmail another person for money or favors.