Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "blackmailer" shine mutumin da ya yi barazanar bayyana wasu bayanai na kunya ko lahani game da wani don cire kudi ko wasu fa'idodi daga gare su. Ba bisa ka'ida ba kuma rashin ɗa'a wanda ya haɗa da tilastawa da tsoratarwa don fitar da wani abu mai daraja daga wanda aka azabtar. Masu baƙar fata sukan yi amfani da barazanar fallasa ko wulaƙanta jama'a don yin iko da waɗanda abin ya shafa, kuma suna iya haifar da tsananin baƙin ciki da cutarwa ta kuɗi. Blackmail laifi ne na laifi a mafi yawan hukunce-hukuncen, kuma waɗanda aka same su da laifin yin wannan aikin na iya fuskantar babban sakamako na shari'a.