extortion
noun
ex·tor·tion
ik-ˈstȯr-shən
1
: the act or practice of extorting especially money or other property
especially
: the offense committed by an official engaging in such practice
2
: something extorted
especially
: a gross overcharge
Examples of extortion in a Sentence
He was arrested and charged with extortion.
six dollars for a cup of coffee is just plain extortion
Recent Examples on the Web
Cab drivers and small business owners complain — anonymously — of rising extortion.
—Antonio Castillo and María Verza, Los Angeles Times, 7 Jan. 2025
Non-Mexican migrants deported to these areas could become vulnerable targets for kidnapping and extortion.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 4 Jan. 2025
Kurosawa’s original film follows an executive at a Yokohama shoe company who becomes a victim of extortion when his chauffeur’s son is kidnapped by mistake and held for ransom.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 Jan. 2025
Advertisement 9 For Subscribers The Mexican Mafia Tapes: Secret recordings reveal greed, betrayal — and a deal with the feds
Sept. 4, 2024
Facing a life sentence for extortion, Ralph Rocha turned on the Mexican Mafia and wore a wire for two years.
—Defne Karabatur, Los Angeles Times, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for extortion 
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Cite this Entry
“Extortion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/extortion. Accessed 27 Jan. 2025.
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