Blackmailer: meaning, definitions and examples

A 'blackmailer' is someone who demands money or favors from someone else by threatening to reveal one's secrets or other sensitive information.

• The politician was a victim of a blackmailer who threatened to expose his past indiscretions.
• She received a letter from a blackmailer demanding $10,000.

An 'extortionist' is someone who obtains money, property, or services from another through coercion or threats. The term is often used in legal or serious criminal contexts.

• The police arrested the extortionist who had been demanding money from local business owners.
• The company paid the extortionist to avoid public scandal.

'Blackguard' is an old-fashioned term typically used to describe a person who behaves in a dishonorable or contemptible way. It is often used in a literary or dramatic context and doesn't necessarily imply criminal activity.

• The villain in the novel was depicted as a blackguard, always deceiving and betraying those around him.
• He is nothing but a lying blackguard!

This term is commonly used in legal or criminal contexts where someone demands money or something else of value by threatening to reveal compromising or damaging information about the person if their demands are not met.

• The blackmailer demanded $50,000 for not leaking the photos online.
• She went to the police after receiving threats from a blackmailer.

Less commonly used, but refers to someone who forces another person to act in an involuntary manner by use of threats, intimidation, or some other form of pressure. Generally used in legal, philosophical, or sociopolitical discussions.

• A coercionist might threaten someone to sign a document against their will.
• Activists protested against the coercionist tactics of the regime.

Describes someone who influences or controls others to their own advantage, often in a subtle, deceptive way. This term is frequently used in personal relationships, workplace settings, or in psychological discussions.

• She realized too late that he was a manipulator and had been using her for his own benefit.
• In the meeting, he tried to be a manipulator by twisting the facts to get everyone's support.

Used to describe someone who intimidates or mistreats others, often in a school, work, or social setting. The intimidation can be physical, verbal, or emotional, and is usually aimed at exploiting power dynamics to control or hurt someone.

• The bully pushed the smaller kids around and took their lunch money.
• Employees complained about a manager who they described as a bully.