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Added 9 October 2026

extort

/ɪkˈstɔː(ɹ)t/ verb

In Latin: extorqueō Wiktionary

verb Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about extort at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

Obtain through intimidation.
Obtain by coercion or intimidation.
They extorted money from the executive by threatening to reveal his past to the company boss
Get or cause to become in a difficult or laborious manner.

Origin

Borrowed from Latin extortus, past participle of extorquere (“to twist or wrench out, to extort”); from ex (“out”) + -tort, from torqueō (“twist, turn”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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