blackmail

/ˈblækˌmeɪl/ n [U]

Definition

› the act of threatening to harm someone or someone's reputation unless the person does as you say, or a payment made to someone who has threatened to harm you or your reputation if you fail to pay the person: Reckless behavior made him an easy target for blackmail. blackmail

/ˈblækˌmeɪl/ v [T] › The guy who blackmailed my father went to jail.

(Definition of blackmail n from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)