1983 National Law Jrnl. (U.S.) 21 Mar. 23/4 Corporations are scurrying to combat a perceived threat from those professional investors who practice ‘greenmail’—putting pressure on a company to get a buy-out for cash.

1984 Times 15 Oct. 17/6 Two leading companies in the United States are introducing schemes to help ward off the threat of unwelcome takeover bids or attempts of ‘greenmail’.

1999 N.Y. Times 12 Dec. iii. 14/4 Does Mr. Milken discuss the public policy, ethical and corporate governance issues related to the losses shareholders suffered from 1980's greenmail?

1984 Christian Sci. Monitor 7 May 3/2 The buy-back typically gives the greenmailers a sharply higher price per share than the other, more common holders of common stock can get for theirs.

1997 Vanity Fair (N.Y.) May 142/2 He was not a greenmailer who made runs at companies simply to scare them into buying out his shares.

1984 Financial Times 27 Sept. 32/7 It is not every year that CJR will have the chance to greenmail St Regis.

1985 Observer 24 Nov. 40/2 I don't buy stock to greenmail.

1986 Sunday Times 6 Apr. 59/4 Fears of a consortium bid to break up the company or greenmail it—buy off the shares held by those threatening to make a bid.

2000 C. R. Geisst Monopolies in Amer. viii. 299 In the late 1970s Icahn greenmailed several companies,..for profits of over $6 million.