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.

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

Nor does any glaring evidence point to the theorized blackmail of his rich alleged co-conspirators and clients.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 13, 2026

Model and system behaviors included deception, blackmail and scheming, especially when asked to shut itself down.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 12, 2026

And they’ll learn that their secret is not completely secure when blackmail notes begin to arrive — at which point the series becomes a mystery.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 12, 2026

When he targeted Gainsborough’s Duchess of Devonshire, he had a specific goal: to blackmail its owner into paying the bond for his imprisoned brother.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day