First Known Use: 1552
Dictionary
blackmail
noun black·mail \ˈblak-ˌmāl\
: the crime of threatening to tell secret information about someone unless the person being threatened gives you money or does what you want
: something (such as money) that is received through blackmail
Full Definition of BLACKMAIL
1
: a tribute anciently exacted on the Scottish border by plundering chiefs in exchange for immunity from pillage
2
a : extortion or coercion by threats especially of public exposure or criminal prosecution b : the payment that is extorted
— blackmail transitive verb
— black·mail·er noun
See blackmail defined for English-language learners
See blackmail defined for kids
ADVERTISEMENT
Origin of BLACKMAIL
black + 1mail
Other Government and Politics Terms
Rhymes with BLACKMAIL
abseil, airmail, all hail, assail, avail, bake sale, bangtail, blacktail, bobtail, broadscale, broadtail, bucktail, bud scale, canaille, cattail, chain mail, coattail, cocktail, contrail, curtail, derail, detail, doornail, dovetail, downscale, ducktail, e-mail, entail, exhale, fan mail, fantail, female, fife rail, fire sale, fishtail, folktale, foresail, foxtail, fresh gale, full-scale, gapped scale, Glendale, gray scale, greenmail, guardrail, Hallel, handrail, hangnail, headsail, hightail, hobnail, horntail, horsetail, impale, inhale, junk mail, Longueuil, lugsail, mainsail, mare's tail, Mondale, moon snail, oxtail, pass-fail, percale, pigtail, pintail, pinwale, plate rail, pot ale, prevail, rattail, regale, resale, rescale, retail, right whale, ringtail, Sangreal, Scottsdale, sea kale, shavetail, shirttail, skysail, slop pail, small-scale, snail mail, soft hail, split rail, springtail, spritsail, square sail, staysail, strong gale, surveil, swordtail, taffrail, tag sale, telltale, third rail, thumbnail, timescale, toenail, topsail, travail, trysail, unnail, unveil, upscale, ventail, voice mail, wage scale, wagtail, wassail, whiptail, white sale, whitetail, white whale, whole gale, wholesale, yard sale
BLACKMAIL Defined for Kids
1blackmail
noun black·mail \ˈblak-ˌmāl\
Definition of BLACKMAIL for Kids
1
: the act of forcing someone to do or pay something by threatening to reveal a secret
2
: something (as money) obtained by threatening to reveal a secret
2blackmail
verb
black·mailedblack·mail·ing
Definition of BLACKMAIL for Kids
: to threaten to reveal a secret unless something is done (as paying money)
— black·mail·er noun
Learn More About BLACKMAIL
Browse
Next Word in the Dictionary: black mairePrevious Word in the Dictionary: black maidenhairAll Words Near: blackmail
ADVERTISEMENT
Seen & Heard
What made you want to look up blackmail? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).