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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of racketeer
Ira Trivedi, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2015
Parts of the city turned into wastelands of racketeers and alcoholics.
—Simon Shuster, TIME, 4 Jan. 2024
Spin Staff, SPIN, 31 Oct. 2024
Zoom in: Madigan is charged with 23 counts ranging from racketeering conspiracy to a host of other crimes.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for racketeer
Noun
She was arrested and charged under the Maharashtra Control of Organized Crime Act, usually reserved for drug racketeers and smugglers running large operations.
—Ira Trivedi, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2015
Parts of the city turned into wastelands of racketeers and alcoholics.
—Simon Shuster, TIME, 4 Jan. 2024
Verb
Three co-defendants accepted plea deals earlier this week on racketeering conspiracy charges and were sentenced to probation and time served.
—Spin Staff, SPIN, 31 Oct. 2024
Zoom in: Madigan is charged with 23 counts ranging from racketeering conspiracy to a host of other crimes.
—Justin Kaufmann, Axios, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for racketeer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for racketeer
Noun
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Locomotive, which is currently in Cannes with pics such as gangster comedy Café 404 and Richard Strauss’ Deadline, has also secured deals for In the Fire of War with unnamed buyers in the likes of Poland and Germany.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
14 May 2025
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Vogue: Both are genre shows, which is sort of interesting for you: a Western and a gangster series...—
Taylor Antrim,
Vogue,
12 May 2025
Noun
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Their reckless, soft-on-crime policies emboldened criminals and thugs; wreaked havoc on the sanctity of our homes, businesses, and public spaces; instilled fear; and jeopardized public trust.—
Jenna deJong,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 May 2025
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That theft is believed to have led to the brazen kidnapping in suburban Connecticut of the parents of one of Lam’s alleged co-conspirators by a crew of thugs from Florida who prosecutors say planned to hold the parents for ransom from their newly rich son.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
15 May 2025
Verb
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Lane then allegedly extorted the companies for ransoms.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
20 May 2025
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In addition, the hackers even tried to extort Coinbase itself, demanding a $20 million payment from the cryptocurrency company to cover up the incident.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
15 May 2025
Verb
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As the night shift ended early in the morning of April 26, Easter Monday, Pilecki and his two compatriots muscled the door open and ran like rabbits from a fox.—
Paul Hockenos,
Smithsonian Magazine,
8 May 2025
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And the president is currently looking to muscle through a settlement in his lawsuit with the broadcaster.—
Liam Reilly,
CNN Money,
5 May 2025
Verb
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The alleged kidnappers shocked the victim with electric wires, held him upside down from the top of a staircase, cut his leg with a saw and threatened to kill his family in a bid to coerce their Italian hostage to unlock his Bitcoin account, prosecutors said.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
30 May 2025
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Swat is coerced into taking on the role or finally getting legal comeuppances for all of his misdeeds and ends up taking on solving the mystery of a series of disappearances plaguing Echo city.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
29 May 2025
Verb
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The prospect of a New York team with an identity forged from refusing to yield under pressure forcing an anxiety-inducing Game 7 at Madison Square Garden looms large.—
Bobby Krivitsky,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
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That gives you a puncher’s chance against a team that runs on makes and misses and forces defensive miscues by sheer virtue of its pace of play.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
30 May 2025
Verb
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One member of the pack menaced him with a knife while another flashed a gun, before some of the youths held him down and stole a sneaker off the victim’s foot before running away, according to police.—
Roni Jacobson,
New York Daily News,
16 May 2025
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The first night, the characters are menaced by a bald hulk in overalls, wearing a clown mask with the mouth area (including his teeth) smashed in.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
25 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Racketeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/racketeer. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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