Threatening vs. Blackmail

Threatening vs. Blackmail — Is There a Difference?
ADVERTISEMENT

Difference Between Threatening and Blackmail

Threateningadjective

Presenting a threat; menacing; frightening.

Never turn your back to someone who is displaying threatening behavior.

Blackmailnoun

The extortion of money by threats of public accusation, exposure, or censure.

Threateningnoun

An act of threatening; a threat.

Blackmailnoun

(archaic) A form of protection money (or corn, cattle, etc.) anciently paid, in the north of England and south of Scotland, to the allies of robbers in order to be spared from pillage.

Threateningadjective

threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments;

a baleful lookforbidding thundercloudshis tone became menacingominous rumblings of discontentsinister storm cloudsa sinister smilehis threatening behaviorugly black cloudsthe situation became ugly

Blackmailnoun

Black rent, or rent paid in corn, meat, or the lowest coin, as opposed to white rent, which was paid in silver.

ADVERTISEMENT

Threateningadjective

darkened by clouds;

a heavy sky

Blackmailnoun

Compromising material that can be used to extort someone, dirt.

Blackmailverb

(transitive) To extort money or favors from (a person) by exciting fears of injury other than bodily harm, such as injury to reputation, distress of mind, false accusation, etc.

He blackmailed a businesswoman by threatening to expose an alleged fraud.

Blackmailnoun

extortion of money by threats to divulge discrediting information

Blackmailverb

exert pressure on someone through threats

Blackmailverb

obtain through threats

ADVERTISEMENT