extort
verb
transitive verb
Did you know?
To extort is literally to wrench something out of someone. Extortion is a mainstay of organized crime. Just as the school bully extorts lunch money from the smaller kids in exchange for not beating them up, thugs extort "protection" money from business owners with threats of violence. But that's only one kind of extortion; a mobster might extort favors from a politician with threats of revealing some dark secret, just as you might extort a favor from a brother or sister by promising not to tell on them.
Synonyms
- exact
- wrest
- wring
Example Sentences
Andrea Marks, Rolling Stone, 1 Sep. 2022 Gaudio pled guilty to one count of interstate communication with intent to extort and was given a year's probation and a $10,000 fine. Hayes Gardner, The Courier-Journal, 10 Dec. 2021 Records say the 31-year-old man and his girlfriend also tried to extort Summit County Common Pleas Judge Tammy O’Brien’s ex-husband, and sent threats to FBI agents and others, reports Adam Ferrise. Cliff Pinckard, cleveland, 17 Aug. 2022 In the beginning, cartels were content to extort farmers, packers and exporters – in essence, taxing them for the ability to do business without interference from the cartels. Jeffrey Miller, The Conversation, 28 Feb. 2022 The criminals behind the attacks routinely extort money, with the threat to not only lock up victims’ computer networks, but also to leak sensitive data online if the ransom goes unpaid. Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, 2 Dec. 2021 The person then allegedly tried to extort Cook for millions of dollars, amid claims that she was injured during the altercation. Scooby Axson, USA TODAY, 9 Nov. 2021 In a San Diego courtroom on Tuesday, a man from Peru told a judge that cartel members are hunting in the area around his shelter for MPP returnees to kidnap and extort. Kate Morrissey, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Aug. 2022 The Florida congressman has denied any wrongdoing and suggested to the Times that the investigation is part of a scheme to extort him and his family. Ella Lee, USA TODAY, 27 July 2022 See More Word History
Latin extortus, past participle of extorquēre to wrench out, extort, from ex- + torquēre to twist — more at torture entry 1
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Legal Definition
extort
transitive verb
extort
verb
Synonyms & Similar Words
- coerce
- squeeze
- exact
- force
- compel
- milk
- wring
- wrest
- gouge
- fleece
- swindle
- bleed
- cheat
- skin
- racketeer
Synonym Chooser
Some common synonyms of extort are educe, elicit, evoke, and extract. While all these words mean "to draw out something hidden, latent, or reserved," extort suggests a wringing or wresting from one who resists strongly.
While the synonyms educe and extort are close in meaning, educe implies the bringing out of something potential or latent.
In some situations, the words elicit and extort are roughly equivalent. However, elicit usually implies some effort or skill in drawing forth a response.
The synonyms evoke and extort are sometimes interchangeable, but evoke implies a strong stimulus that arouses an emotion or an interest or recalls an image or memory.
The words extract and extort can be used in similar contexts, but extract implies the use of force or pressure in obtaining answers or information.