extortion | SAT Word of the Day
Extortion has funded empires and criminal organizations alike—from the "protection money" collected by the Roman Empire from conquered territories to the infamous practices of Al Capone.
If you’ve been reading for a while, you may remember that I defined extorted (the -ed form of the verb extort) in September of 2024. Check it out if you want to learn more.
ℹ️ Part of speech of extortion
extortion is a NOUN (noncount noun, singular).
🗣️ Pronunciation of extortion
extortion is pronounced /ɪk.ˈstɔr.ʃən/ or ik-STOR-shun.
📚️ Definition of extortion
The practice of obtaining something, especially money, through force or threats: extortion exists at all levels of business and government.
📰 Examples
Here are some examples of extortion in usage:
The restaurant owner reluctantly made the monthly extortion payment to the local gang to avoid having his windows broken or customers harassed.
The FBI has a special task force dedicated to combating extortion schemes targeting small businesses.
The history of organized crime is deeply intertwined with extortion rackets, where businesses pay "protection money" to prevent damage to their property or harm to their employees.
The cybercriminals engaged in extortion by threatening to release sensitive company data unless a ransom was paid.