extorted

Extorted is the past tense and past participle of the verb extort. To extort means to obtain something, typically money or a concession, from someone through coercion, threats, intimidation, or abuse of authority. The act relies on the fear of harm or undesirable consequences, or on the misuse of power, rather than voluntary agreement. In usage, a person who has been extorted often agrees to pay or surrender something to avoid violence, exposure of sensitive information, or other forms of harm.

Etymology traces extort to the Latin extorquere, meaning “to twist out” or “to wrench away,” via Old French and into English. The term has long been associated with power imbalances and illegal coercion.

In legal contexts, extortion is generally defined as a crime in many jurisdictions. Variants include threats of violence, property damage, or other harm to a victim or their family, as well as demands backed by the threat of exposing damaging information. Some systems distinguish extortion from related offenses such as blackmail, coercion, or racketeering, while others treat certain forms of blackmail as extortion. Penalties typically range from fines to imprisonment, reflecting the seriousness of coercive demands and abuse of authority.

Notable discussions in journalism and law describe extorted payments or concessions in contexts such as organized crime, improper influence, or corrupt official actions. The term is commonly used in both legal descriptions and narrative accounts of criminal activity, underscoring the harm caused by coercive demands. See also extortion, coercion, blackmail, and racketeering.