What's the difference between "blackmailed" and "threatened"?

Rebecca

These two verbs are very similar. They both have meanings of being forced or pressured to do something, but "blackmail" is slightly different because it implies that the person doing the blackmail has some secret or compromising information on the person being blackmailed. "Threaten" does not necessarily have this meaning. Ex: He threatened to withhold wages from his employees. Ex: The celebrity was blackmailed with scandalous pictures.