as in gangster
a person who gets money from another by using force or threats
the racketeer threatened to have his thugs vandalize the shop if the shopkeeper didn't pay him a monthly bribe
Synonyms & Similar Words
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as in to blackmail
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of racketeer
Time, 25 July 2023
Stephanie was cunning—even ruthless—and a notorious racketeer.
—The New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2023
Lilly Price, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2023
Musk, a noted fan of Dogecoin and related memes, was named in lawsuit filed last year accusing him of racketeering over his promotion of the cryptocurrency.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 5 Apr. 2023
See all Example Sentences for racketeer 
Noun
As revealed in previously undisclosed FBI files, Manton fraternized with racketeers and accepted large loans and gifts from such unsavory sources.
—Time, 25 July 2023
Stephanie was cunning—even ruthless—and a notorious racketeer.
—The New Yorker, 4 Jan. 2023
Verb
Cherry pleaded guilty to racketeering conspiracy charges in June.
—Lilly Price, Baltimore Sun, 18 Apr. 2023
Musk, a noted fan of Dogecoin and related memes, was named in lawsuit filed last year accusing him of racketeering over his promotion of the cryptocurrency.
—Todd Spangler, Variety, 5 Apr. 2023
See all Example Sentences for racketeer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for racketeer
Noun
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Many Japanese action films are too much about fantasy, either Yakuza [gangsters] or serial killers.Patrick Frater, Variety, 1 Nov. 2024
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Tyler takes aim at the masks people wear to hide from their true selves, evoking a middle-class gangster and a closeted religious zealot.Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 30 Oct. 2024
Noun
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The climax, in which Dwight and his crew beat a group of nameless Chinese immigrant thugs into submission after they’re used as cannon fodder by Cal Thresher to sabotage Dwight’s wind turbines, is more important to the plot and even uglier.Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2024
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Like other Diablo games, Hades would support cooperative multiplayer, but in the Arkham games, groups of thugs would circle around the Dark Knight, comic-book style, waiting to be punched in the face.Jason Schreier, WIRED, 8 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The former governor was convicted on corruption charges in 2011 for attempting to extort campaign donations from a children’s hospital and for attempting to sell former President Barack Obama’s U.S. Senate seat.Asher Notheis, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 25 Sep. 2024
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That investigation began after Torres told police that a 21-year-old Chicago man continued to extort him — threatening to release nude photos and videos — if Torres failed to meet his financial demands.Devan Patel, The Mercury News, 6 Nov. 2024
Verb
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In 2023, for example, Mayo leveraged its plans for a $5 billion expansion in Minnesota to muscle Walz into helping kill a bill aimed at slowing the speed of rising health care costs, which had passed the state House and Senate.Max Nesterak, ProPublica, 31 Oct. 2024
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Increasing carbohydrate intake after intensive exercise also repletes muscle glycogen stores, which is essential for muscle recovery and stamina.Jillian Kubala, RD, Health, 15 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The answer is very simple: no buyer of Chrome would pay full price assuming a sale of it by Google in light of market knowledge that the sale would be coerced.John Tamny, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024
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Over a month and a half, the report said, Pakistani authorities deported 20,000 Afghans and coerced over 350,000 more to leave on their own.Trisha Mukherjee, ABC News, 21 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The United States warned Israel in October that it might be forced to curtail some of its crucial military support if Israel did not rapidly ramp up the amount of aid entering Gaza.Wafaa Shurafa and Fatma Khaled, Los Angeles Times, 22 Nov. 2024
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Liz is forced to reexamine her life as the boys’ friendship unravels in a fierce competition for her affection.Matt Grobar, Deadline, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Worse, as happened dramatically after 2020 and less vividly after 2016, it may be menaced not only by the winners of the election, but by the losers.Christian Schneider, National Review, 24 Oct. 2024
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In the near future of (checks notes) 2001, Brecken Meyer and some other wayward teens are menaced by Freddy Kruger.Bethy Squires, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Racketeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/racketeer. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.
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