Standard Lemma guide

racketeering

noun · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • CMU ARPABET: R AE2 K IH0 T IH1 R IH0 NG Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The criminal action of being involved in a racket; especially, directing it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable, usually

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: racketry

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

present participle and gerund of racketeer

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

engaging in a racket

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: felony

History

Etymology

Coined by the Employers' Association of Chicago in June 1927 in a statement about the influence of organized crime in the Teamsters union.

Across languages

Translations

5 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Afrikaans: rampokkery — criminal action
  • Galician: fraude — criminal action
  • German: Gaunerei — criminal action
  • Portuguese: extorsão — criminal action
  • Turkish: şantaj — criminal action