extortion

[ ik-stawr-shuhn ]
/ ɪkˈstɔr ʃən /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR extortion ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

an act or instance of extorting.
Law. the crime of obtaining money or some other thing of value by the abuse of one's office or authority.
oppressive or illegal exaction, as of excessive price or interest: the extortions of usurers.
anything extorted.

Origin of extortion

1250–1300; Middle English extorcion < Late Latin extortiōn- (stem of extortiō). See extort, -ion

OTHER WORDS FROM extortion

non·ex·tor·tion, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH extortion

bribery extortion

Words nearby extortion

extn., extol, extorsion, extorsive, extort, extortion, extortionary, extortionate, extortionist, extr., extra

Content related to extortion

What Is The Difference Between “Bribery” vs. “Extortion”? These are some of the oldest crimes we have in the history books, dating all the way back to English Common Law from the Middle Ages. But, even back then, there was a distinction between the two.
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Words related to extortion

shakedown, fraud, coercion, theft, badger, compulsion, force, rapacity, shake, payoff, oppression, stealing, payola, arm, pressure, protection, demand, racket, bite, squeeze

Example sentences from the Web for extortion

British Dictionary definitions for extortion

extortion
/ (ɪkˈstɔːʃən) /

noun

the act of securing money, favours, etc by intimidation or violence; blackmail

Derived forms of extortion

extortioner or extortionist, noun