extortion
C1Formal, Legal, News
Definition
Meaning
The crime of obtaining something, especially money, by force or threats.
Any act of forcing someone to do something against their will, often through coercion, blackmail, or undue pressure; figuratively, can refer to excessive or unfair demands (e.g., 'extortionate prices').
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a perpetrator-victim dynamic and an illegitimate or illegal use of power or threat. The threat is often of violence, exposure of damaging information, or other serious harm. The related verb is 'extort'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; legal definitions are nearly identical. 'Extortion' is the standard term in both varieties.
Connotations
Equally strong negative connotations associated with serious crime and corruption in both varieties.
Frequency
Similar frequency in legal and journalistic contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
extortion of [VICTIM] (by [PERPETRATOR])extortion from [VICTIM]extortion using [MEANS/THREAT]charged with extortionVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A protection racket (is a form of extortion).”
- “To pay protection money (is a result of extortion).”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to illegal demands for money under threat, e.g., 'The business owner reported extortion attempts by a local gang.'
Academic
Used in criminology, sociology, and law to describe a specific category of property crime and its societal impact.
Everyday
Used when discussing crime news or complaining about excessively high prices ('That's extortion!').
Technical
In law, a precise crime involving the unlawful obtaining of property through threat of future harm (distinct from robbery, which involves immediate threat).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The gangsters attempted to extort money from the shopkeeper by threatening his family.
- He was convicted for trying to extort confidential documents.
American English
- The corrupt official was caught extorting bribes from contractors.
- They plotted to extort the celebrity by threatening to release the photos.
adverb
British English
- The tickets were extortionately priced for such a poor seat.
- He was extortionately overcharged for the repair.
American English
- The rent in that neighborhood is extortionately high.
- They priced the bottled water extortionately at the concert.
adjective
British English
- The interest rates charged by that lender are absolutely extortionate.
- He paid an extortionate sum for a basic taxi ride from the airport.
American English
- The hotel's minibar prices are extortionate during the conference.
- She complained about the extortionate cost of the textbook.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The film was about bad men who took money from people. That is called extortion.
- Paying too much for water at the stadium feels like extortion.
- The businessman went to the police because someone was trying to extort money from him.
- The prosecutor said it was a clear case of extortion and fraud.
- The criminal network was involved in multiple illegal activities, including drug trafficking and extortion.
- Journalists investigating the extortion racket received threatening messages.
- The legislation was designed to combat sophisticated financial extortion conducted via cyber means.
- His defense argued that the payments were voluntary donations, not the product of extortion.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: EX-TORT-ION. TORT means 'twist' (like in 'torture'). Extortion is twisting someone's arm (figuratively) to get what you want.
Conceptual Metaphor
CRIME IS A FORCE/PREDATION (e.g., 'preyed upon', 'a web of extortion').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не переводить как "эксторция" (это ложный друг). Правильный перевод — "вымогательство".
- Не путать с "вымогательством" в узком юридическом смысле, если в русском контексте это имеет особенности; в английском 'extortion' — широкий термин.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'He did an extortion.' Correct: 'He committed extortion.' / 'He was involved in extortion.'
- Incorrect: 'Robbery and extortion are the same.' Correct: Robbery involves immediate force/fear; extortion involves a threat of *future* harm.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following scenarios best describes 'extortion'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Blackmail is a specific type of extortion where the threat is to reveal damaging or sensitive information. Extortion is the broader category, which can include threats of violence, property damage, or other harm.
Yes, informally and hyperbolically. People often say 'That's extortion!' when referring to prices they consider outrageously and unfairly high, though no actual illegal threat is involved.
The timing of the threat. Robbery involves an immediate threat of harm to obtain property. Extortion involves a threat of *future* harm if the demand is not met.
No, while money is most common, extortion can involve demands for property, services, or specific actions (e.g., 'I'll leak the story unless you resign').