PoliticsAugust 28, 2026

extort

ek-STORT

Definition

To obtain something, such as money, property, or specific actions, from a person through the use of force, threats, or intimidation.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'extortus,' the past participle of 'extorquere,' which means to 'twist out' or 'wrest away' by force.

In the news

Clerk Elyse Hoffenberg claims her political rivals attempted to extort her by threatening to release surveillance footage of a kiss unless she agreed to end her political campaign.

Kiss video at center of Lyons Township FOIA fight could impact Cook County Board, Congress races

Read the full article ↗

Chicago Tribune

Related words

flout

To openly and boldly disregard or treat with contempt a rule, law, or custom.

Politics

presidentialism

A system of government characterized by an increasingly powerful executive branch that…

Politics

reified

To treat an abstract concept or perception as if it were a concrete, tangible, or…

Politics

anglophones

People whose primary language is English, particularly in a region where another language…

Politics

blockading

The act of obstructing or preventing progress, access, or development, often by means of…

Politics

edicts

Official orders or proclamations issued by an authority that must be obeyed.

Politics

Learn a word like this every day

Meet one new word every morning.

Newspoken pulls one carefully chosen word from the day’s news — with a clear definition, context, and light review that makes it stick. Get it on your phone.