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 flick was a comedic noir that imagined a Hollywood where cartoons and humans live together, and the plot involved murder, adultery, blackmail and other adult topics.
—
Victoria Edel, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
With power and status come opponents bent on toppling the empire, by blackmail, revenge or even murder.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2024
The indictment alleges Combs coerced and abused women for years, with the help of a network of associates and employees, while using blackmail and violent acts including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings to keep victims from speaking out.
—CBS News, 16 Oct. 2024
Some good old-fashioned blackmail: Catherine swears Meredith to secrecy about the return of her sinister secret spinal tumor and refuses the interventions that Meredith recommends.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for blackmail 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Victoria Edel, People.com, 4 Nov. 2024
With power and status come opponents bent on toppling the empire, by blackmail, revenge or even murder.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 Oct. 2024
The indictment alleges Combs coerced and abused women for years, with the help of a network of associates and employees, while using blackmail and violent acts including kidnapping, arson and physical beatings to keep victims from speaking out.
—CBS News, 16 Oct. 2024
Some good old-fashioned blackmail: Catherine swears Meredith to secrecy about the return of her sinister secret spinal tumor and refuses the interventions that Meredith recommends.
—Laura Bradley, Vulture, 27 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for blackmail
Dictionary Entries Near blackmail
Cite this Entry
“Blackmail.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blackmail. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids 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
noun
-ˌmā-lər
Etymology
originally, payment extorted from farmers in Scotland and northern England, from black + dialectal mail payment, rent
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share