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's $400 million countersuit against Lively and Reynolds, which alleged extortion and defamation, was dismissed by Judge Lewis J. Liman in June, and Baldoni's team ultimately declined to amend and move forward with their claims.
—
Benjamin Vanhoose, People.com, 1 July 2025
John Doe’s case against me and The Buzbee Law Firm alleging extortion and defamation was thrown out by the court.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 1 July 2025
The Gulf Clan is Colombia’s largest drug-trafficking organization and has been responsible for widespread violence, extortion and assassinations across the country.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025
Well … maybe extortion, theft, and breaking and entering aren’t deal-breakers for her.
—Stacia Brown, Vulture, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for extortion
Benjamin Vanhoose, People.com, 1 July 2025
John Doe’s case against me and The Buzbee Law Firm alleging extortion and defamation was thrown out by the court.
—Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 1 July 2025
The Gulf Clan is Colombia’s largest drug-trafficking organization and has been responsible for widespread violence, extortion and assassinations across the country.
—Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 30 June 2025
Well … maybe extortion, theft, and breaking and entering aren’t deal-breakers for her.
—Stacia Brown, Vulture, 25 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for extortion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for extortion
highway robbery
Noun
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This highway robbery of our funds directly out of our bank account is a betrayal of everyone who calls New York City home.—
Maria Ramirez Uribe,
Austin American Statesman,
10 Feb. 2025
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Hospitals have gotten away with this sort of highway robbery for years, thanks to a combination of consolidation and misleading arguments.—
Craig M. Wax,
Boston Herald,
13 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Extortion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/extortion. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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