Definition

The act of forcing someone to give you money or something valuable by threatening to reveal embarrassing or harmful information about them.

Example

The politician was a victim of blackmail when someone threatened to leak his private emails.

Conversation

Did you hear about that scandal involving the politician?

Yeah, I heard it was all about blackmail and bribery.

It's crazy how much power someone can have with blackmail in play.

Absolutely, it really shows how vulnerable people can be in those situations.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Blackmail is formed from "black" (from Old English "blæc", meaning dark or color black) and "mail" (from Old English "mal", meaning payment or reward). The term originally referred to a form of extortion where a payment was demanded under threat, often associated with dark or illicit activities.

Memory Tip

Think of the word 'black' representing something dark or illicit, and 'mail' referring to a payment. This helps you remember that blackmail involves demanding payment under threat.

Visually Confused Words