blackmail
noun
any payment extorted by intimidation, as by threats of injurious revelations or accusations.
was blackmailing
-
past progressiveof blackmail.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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
Bondi is under fire after she said last week there was no evidence Epstein kept a "client list" or was blackmailing powerful figures.
From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2025
Granda also pushed back on allegations that he was blackmailing the couple.
From Fox News ● Aug. 26, 2020
Maintaining the couple’s innocence, Mr. Chrisley said a former employee who had been fired for stealing “big time” was seeking revenge and was blackmailing the family.
From New York Times ● Aug. 15, 2019
My belief, however, is that he was blackmailing the native villages along the coast.
From Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad
