RACKETEER Synonyms: 77 Similar and Opposite Words

racketeer 1 of 2

noun

ˌra-kə-ˈtir

Definition of racketeer

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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racketeer

2 of 2

verb

as in to blackmail

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of racketeer

Noun

In a police photograph, Lansky stood next to racketeer Charles (Lucky) Luciano. — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 3 Apr. 2025 Oh yeah, this relationship with this 38-year-old racketeer is so beautiful. — Michael Cuby, Them, 1 Aug. 2024

Verb

Each man pleaded guilty to racketeering enterprise conspiracy, or RICO, charges that were brought last September as the third indictment in a sweeping MS-13 case first opened in 2017. — Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 15 July 2025 The case for racketeering conspiracy Prosecutors’ toughest challenge will likely be securing a conviction on the racketeering conspiracy charge, experts agreed, citing its complexity and the novelty of its application in the Combs case. — Dakin Andone, CNN Money, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for racketeer

Recent Examples of Synonyms for racketeer

Noun

But when a patient recognizes him from his dangerous past, Brown has eight hours to elude the government, mob hitmen, quack surgeons, and a trail of dead gangsters to somehow beat the reaper.

— Denise Petski, Deadline, 6 Oct. 2026
Somebody like Gilroy or Jeff Kober and Barry Corbin (popping up occasionally as a pair of geriatric gangsters) will come and go in situations knowingly designed to feel contrived.

— Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 23 Sep. 2026

Definition of gangster

Verb

Instead, Cohen said the women who reported him immediately only wanted to ensure Weinberg couldn’t use the photos to blackmail them — and those who came forward later were likely motivated by monetary gain.

— Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
In the first episode, Prue will sit down with comedians Hope Carew and Andrew Stier to explore topics ranging from spreading the gay agenda through football to Thanksgiving nudism and how best to blackmail coworkers.

— Matt Grobar, Deadline, 29 Sep. 2026

Definition of blackmail

Noun

The residents occasionally gather in a disused rec center but the meetings devolve into rants about immigrants, junkies, thugs and vigilantism.

— Jessica Kiang, Variety, 26 Sep. 2026
That a Christian man was responsible for the devastation in Oklahoma City certainly didn’t matter to the thugs who terrorized a Muslim woman there, nearly seven months pregnant, by attacking her home, breaking her windows, screaming religious slurs.

— Reshma Memon Yaqub, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of thug

Verb

Hill alleged school board members tried to extort her into resigning in a memo sent to the board ahead of her firing.

— Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 5 Oct. 2026
Police in Europe allege that a 16-year-old is the leader of a ransomware group called KillSec, which tried to extort hundreds of businesses and organizations.

— Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of extort

Noun

Apple’s decision to briefly remove Telegram from the App Store has been blamed on a blackmailer duping the company into executing a takedown, according to Telegram’s CEO.

— Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 4 Aug. 2026
The blackmailer continues to call her, demanding money in exchange for keeping her cam-boy secrets.

— Erin Qualey, Vulture, 29 May 2026

Definition of blackmailer

Verb

The actor has also been muscling his way into movies, appearing as part of the ensemble of the 2023 Fast & Furious movie Fast 10 and in 2024’s Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare from Lionsgate.

— Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
In 2003, Kim Cattrall bared her abs and muscled lower back in a glittering naked dress.

— Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of muscle

Noun

Carrot Top's lawyer has filed an emergency motion to prevent his alleged extortionist and former friend, Brian Evans, from filing more documents.

— Liza Esquibias, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
There still will be scammers, extortionists, extremists and others who try to take advantage of teens and adults.

— Larry Magid, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of extortionist

Verb

This was a back-door effort to coerce Detroit to phase out the internal combustion engine, as the only realistic way car makers could meet the requirement was to massively expand their EV or hybrid inventories.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026
This hasn’t stopped the Administration from trying to coerce states to hand over their voter rolls.

— Jonathan Blitzer, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of coerce

Browse Nearby Words

racketed

racketeer

racketeered

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Racketeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/racketeer. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of racketeer

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

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