chantagear

Senses

1. 1.

   to blackmail

   to extort someone by threatening to reveal compromising information

2. 2.

   to emotionally manipulate

   to use guilt or emotional pressure to control someone's behavior

Examples

• "Ele tentou me chantagear com fotos comprometedoras."

  He tried to blackmail me with compromising photos.

• "Não deixe ninguém te chantagear emocionalmente."

  Don't let anyone emotionally manipulate you.

• "O político foi chantageado por causa de seu passado."

  The politician was blackmailed because of his past.

Usage

Common in both formal and informal contexts. Often used with the preposition "com" to indicate what is used for blackmail (chantagear alguém com algo). The related noun is "chantagem" (blackmail). Emotional manipulation is sometimes called "chantagem emocional."