as in obsessive
caused by or suggestive of an irresistible urge
that woman's besetting need to meddle in the affairs of others
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
he's been beset by a lack of self-confidence virtually his entire life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacking
to take sudden, violent action against
the unsuspecting tourists were suddenly beset by robbers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besetting
Adjective
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Known for his signature style and obsessive attention to detail, Anderson’s work is distinctive, imaginative, and—above all—meticulous.—
Brett Braley,
Robb Report,
30 July 2025 -
So, just stay in the moment, take care of the little things, be consistent with my process, and be obsessive with my process, and make sure nothing's non-negotiable.—
Justin Grasso,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 July 2025
Verb
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The Connecticut Conference of Municipalities recently launched a campaign attacking the governor for allowing the state’s overreliance on property taxes to worsen and for seeking to slash summer work programs that assist the state’s troubled youths.—
Keith M. Phaneuf,
Hartford Courant,
15 Mar. 2025
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The kidnapping culminated with Braeburn attacking Chimney (Kenneth Choi) and ultimately shot dead by Athena (Angela Bassett) — but not before exposing the missing persons detective's multiple personalities and painful past.—
Patrick Gomez,
EW.com,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The vaunting acclaim the retrospective elicited seems largely unwarranted, though in several brilliant sequences scattered throughout his work, the unruly Rozier achieved an impulsive kind of mastery.—
James Quandt,
The New York Review of Books,
31 July 2025
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Jena Malone played the Bennets’ youngest daughter, Lydia Bennet, whose impulsive behavior threatens the family’s reputation.—
Emily Blackwood,
People.com,
30 July 2025
Verb
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That’s changing this year, as three Democratic governors announced new initiatives aimed at addressing disparities afflicting boys and men.—
Elizabeth Robinson,
NBC news,
25 Mar. 2025
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One key focus of these efforts should address the deficiencies afflicting the market for biologics, which are medicines made or derived from biological processes.—
Wayne Winegarden,
Forbes,
5 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The perpetrators allegedly transported victims to isolated islands near New Providence before assaulting them.—
Daniel R. Depetris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Apr. 2025
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The man allegedly grabbed the woman from behind and held a knife to her side before assaulting her on the sidewalk, police said, ABC News reports.—
KC Baker,
People.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The Chiefs’ results against the Steelers were striking.—
Nate Taylor,
The Athletic,
27 Dec. 2024
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In a wide-ranging interview with NPR, Governor Maher Marwan, 42, said that Syria's new government did not want to seek conflict with Israel, which has been striking strategic military installations in Syria since the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad fell earlier this month.—
Hadeel Al-Shalchi,
NPR,
27 Dec. 2024
Verb
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One of Mangione’s attorneys told a judge that government officials, including New York Mayor Eric Adams, have turned Mangione into a political pawn, robbing him of his rights as a defendant and tainting the jury pool.—
Michael R. Sisak and Jake Offenhartz,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Dec. 2024
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Cops have arrested a motorist accused of attacking and robbing an NYPD traffic enforcement agent of his electronic summons book after getting a ticket on a busy Queens street, police said Friday.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
20 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Besetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besetting. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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