blackmail

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.

“They are applying a blackmail tactic,” said Richard Moncrieff, a regional analyst with the International Crisis Group, a Brussels-based think tank.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

This is when “Heel” is at its most alluringly queasy, a dark commentary on all families as institutions inherently built on confinement and emotional blackmail.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 6, 2026

J. Edgar Hoover, who led the FBI for 48 years, had established a personal fiefdom devoted to consolidating power and pursuing his own personal obsessions, sometimes with blackmail and coercion.

From Salon • Feb. 15, 2026

Magyar accused Fidesz of trying to blackmail him and made three allegations of unlawful conduct in a statement on Friday.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

Three times Sammy drove past the water tower on St. Catherine’s Island to make sure that no one was lying in wait to apprehend the author of the blackmail note.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy