extort

[ ik-stawrt ]
/ ɪkˈstɔrt /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR extort ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

Law.
  1. to wrest or wring (money, information, etc.) from a person by violence, intimidation, or abuse of authority; obtain by force, torture, threat, or the like.
  2. to take illegally by reason of one's office.
to compel (something) of a person or thing: Her wit and intelligence extorted their admiration.

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Origin of extort

First recorded in 1525–1500; from Latin extortus, past participle of extorquēre, equivalent to ex- ex-1 + torquēre “to twist”; see tort

synonym study for extort

1. See extract.

OTHER WORDS FROM extort

ex·tort·er, nounex·tor·tive, adjectivenon·ex·tor·tive, adjectiveun·ex·tort·ed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to extort

extract, wrest, exact, coerce, elicit, wring, gouge, force, soak, fleece, get, pinch, skin, milk, obtain, ice, educe, evince, stick, wrench

Example sentences from the Web for extort

British Dictionary definitions for extort

extort
/ (ɪkˈstɔːt) /

verb (tr)

to secure (money, favours, etc) by intimidation, violence, or the misuse of influence or authority
to obtain by importunate demandsthe children extorted a promise of a trip to the zoo
to overcharge for (something, esp interest on a loan)

Derived forms of extort

extorter, nounextortive, adjective

Word Origin for extort

C16: from Latin extortus wrenched out, from extorquēre to wrest away, from torquēre to twist, wrench
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012