extort

/ɪkˈstɔː(ɹ)t/

//ɪkˈstɔː(ɹ)t// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"extort" is a 6-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“extort” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #36,136 in English word frequency and used as a verb.

#36,136
frequency rank, English
6
letters
9
tracked misspellings
7
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To take or seize from an unwilling person by physical force, menace, duress, torture, or any undue or illegal exercise of power or ingenuity.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

extort vs exert
67% similar
extort vs effort
67% similar
extort vs expert
67% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for extort
PropertyValue
Headwordextort
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɪkˈstɔː(ɹ)t/
Letters6
Frequency rank#36,136
Misspellings tracked9
Confusable pairs7
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “extort” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). extort lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for extort is 6 letters long, classified as a verb, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ɪkˈstɔː(ɹ)t/. Corpus data places it at rank #36,136 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 9 likely wrong-spelling variants for extort, with forms such as "etxort", "exotrt", and "extorrt". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 7 confusable-pair relationships, "exert", "effort", "expert", and more, since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Latin extortus, past participle of extorquere (“to twist or wrench out, to extort”); from ex (“out”) + -tort, from torqueō (“twist, turn”). The correct English form is extort, spelled E-X-T-O-R-T.

Definition

  1. 1
    To take or seize from an unwilling person by physical force, menace, duress, torture, or any undue or illegal exercise of power or ingenuity.
  2. 2
    To obtain by means of the offense of extortion.
  3. 3
    To twist outwards.

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin extortus, past participle of extorquere (“to twist or wrench out, to extort”); from ex (“out”) + -tort, from torqueō (“twist, turn”).

Synonyms

wrench awayto tear awayto wringto exact

This word in other languages

extorquer(Français)erpressen(Deutsch)extorquir(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: etxort,exotrt,extorrt,extortt,extotr,extrot,exttort,exxtort,xetort

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of extort - counted as single-character edits (an insertion, a deletion, or a substituted letter). The larger the bar, the easier the typo is to spot; one-edit slips are the ones that sneak past readers.

etxort2exotrt2extorrt1extortt1extotr2extrot2exttort1exxtort1
Edit distance from "extort"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "extort"?
"extort" is spelled E-X-T-O-R-T. The IPA pronunciation is /ɪkˈstɔː(ɹ)t/.
What does "extort" mean?
As a verb, "extort" means: To take or seize from an unwilling person by physical force, menace, duress, torture, or any undue or illegal exercise of power or ingenuity.
What words are commonly confused with "extort"?
"extort" is commonly confused with "exert", "effort", "expert". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "extort"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "extort" is /ɪkˈstɔː(ɹ)t/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "extort"?
Borrowed from Latin extortus, past participle of extorquere (“to twist or wrench out, to extort”); from ex (“out”) + -tort, from torqueō (“twist, turn”). See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “extort”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is E-X-T-O-R-T - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɪkˈstɔː(ɹ)t/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “exert” - see the side-by-side comparison. extort vs exert
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list