blackmail
noun
any payment extorted by intimidation, as by threats of injurious revelations or accusations.
blackmailing
-
present participleof blackmail.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Some have suggested that Moreno had been silent because Miller was blackmailing him.
From Slate ● Aug. 3, 2026
Steadman, 29, was arrested in June 2024 and later charged with one count of blackmailing then Conservative MP William Wragg in order to get the telephone numbers of up to 12 individuals.
From BBC ● Apr. 15, 2026
I spoke to the late-life lovebirds about their process of marital manuscript-making: the good, the not so good and the blackmailing.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2026
In Sam Mendes’ 1999 film, “American Beauty,” Lester Burnham, played by Kevin Spacey, kicks off a corporate blackmailing scheme that ultimately leaves him with a $60,000 pay-out.
From Salon ● Dec. 9, 2023
My mom was essentially blackmailing me into being a good feminist and following my heart.
From "Americanized" by Sara Saedi
