extortion
Other forms: extortions
Extortion means forcing someone into giving you something through threats. A bully who tells kids he'll beat them up if they don't give him their lunch money is guilty of extortion.
Because extortion is a crime — mobsters are often charged with it — the word has a strict, legal meaning. It's the act of using threats or force to obtain something from someone. But the word is used in a general context as well. As you sell $5 boxes of M&Ms door-to-door to pay for your band trip to Florida, cranky neighbors may complain, "At this price, it's extortion!" — meaning they feel you're forcing them to give you their money.
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unjust exaction (as by the misuse of authority)“the extortion by dishonest officials of fees for performing their sworn duty”
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type of:
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exaction
act of demanding or levying by force or authority
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exaction
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the felonious act of extorting money (as by threats of violence)
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types:
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blackmail
extortion of money by threats to divulge discrediting information
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protection, tribute
payment extorted by gangsters on threat of violence
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shakedown
extortion of money (as by blackmail)
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type of:
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felony
a serious crime (such as murder or arson)
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blackmail
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an exorbitant charge
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type of:
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overcharge
a price that is too high
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overcharge
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Copy citationVocabulary lists containing extortion
This biography chronicles the life of Sojourner Truth, a woman who was born a slave, and who became the embodiment of the universal ideals of abolition and equality.
In this nonfiction account, adapted for young adults, twin brothers Ernesto and Raúl make a difficult journey from El Salvador to California in search of a new life.
An aspiring singer must prove she didn't murder the R&B star who took her under his wing.
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