What does extorting mean?
'Extorting' is the present participle and gerund of the verb 'extort', meaning to obtain money, property, or another benefit from someone through coercion rather than consent. A person who is extorting others uses threats, intimidation, blackmail, or the misuse of an official position to force them into handing over what they want. The word appears frequently in legal and journalistic contexts — officials are charged with extorting bribes, criminals are accused of extorting protection money — but it can also be used figuratively for extracting confessions, favors, or concessions under pressure. Its connotations are uniformly negative: no one is ever praised for extorting anything. The term derives from Latin 'extorquere', meaning 'to twist away', a vivid image that survives in the idea of value being forcibly wrung from its unwilling owner. Related forms include 'extortion', 'extortionist', and 'extortionate'.
Present participle of 'extort': obtaining money, property, or other value from someone through force, threats, or abuse of authority.
"They were caught extorting payments from local merchants under threat of violence."
In legal writing, 'extorting' typically signals the ongoing commission of the criminal offence of extortion.
The act or practice of obtaining something from someone by coercion, threats, or the misuse of power.
"Extorting confessions from suspects is both illegal and unreliable."
As a gerund, 'extorting' functions as a verbal noun naming the activity itself rather than any individual act.
English got 'extorting' straight from Latin 'extorquere' — literally 'to twist out' — so when someone is extorting you, language pictures your money being twisted right out of your hands.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of extorting
'Extorting' traces back to the Latin verb 'extorquere', formed from 'ex-' ('out') and 'torquere' ('to twist'), originally meaning to twist or wrest something away from someone. The word entered English via Anglo-Norman and Old French forms such as 'extorter' during the late Middle Ages, with the noun 'extortion' established well before modern usage solidified. It shares its Latin root 'torquere' with words such as 'torment', 'torsion', 'distort', and 'torture'.
Related word forms
How extorting is actually used
'Extorting' is formal to neutral in register and carries strong negative connotation; it almost always implies criminality or serious moral wrongdoing. In legal contexts it refers specifically to the crime of extortion, which typically involves threats rather than outright physical force.
Easily confused with extorting
'Extorting' means obtaining something by threats or force, while 'exhorting' means strongly urging or encouraging someone to do something.