1
as in to attack
to surround (as a fortified place) with armed forces for the purpose of capturing or preventing commerce and communication
armies besieged the city for six months before it finally surrendered
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
a family besieged by worries about the faltering economy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to beg
to make a request to (someone) in an earnest or urgent manner
bereaved parents continued to besiege the president with pleas to end the war
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of besiege
Los Angeles County’s looming agreement with its biggest labor union is expected to cost a little more than $2 billion over three years — the latest hit to a budget besieged by financial woes.
—
Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025
By 1972, Argentina was besieged by unprecedented political violence.
—Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Gas stations are besieged, and shops are emptying of essentials.
—Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 16 June 2025
The association has been besieged with antitrust lawsuits brought by athletes in their 20s who don’t want to leave college sports.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for besiege
Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025
By 1972, Argentina was besieged by unprecedented political violence.
—Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Gas stations are besieged, and shops are emptying of essentials.
—Scott Peterson, Christian Science Monitor, 16 June 2025
The association has been besieged with antitrust lawsuits brought by athletes in their 20s who don’t want to leave college sports.
—Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 12 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for besiege
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besiege
Verb
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After the match, Uso helped attack Sikoa’s MFTs and Fatu hit a picturesque moonsault off the top of the cage onto Loa and Mateo, getting some momentum back after a controversial defeat.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
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Police responded to a call that an individual was being attacked by dogs at the Perris Hill Park in San Bernardino at around 5:00 p.m. local time on Thursday, July 31, KTLA and the Los Angeles Times reported.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Mohammad Omar had been plagued with medical problems since birth.—
Li-Lian Ahlskog Hou,
CNN Money,
22 July 2025
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That’s the kind of problem that leads to the rodent Rose Parade that’s plagued other restaurants on this street.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
21 July 2025
Verb
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This begs the question: What else is there to say about Young and his offseason?—
Alex Zietlow
July 23,
Charlotte Observer,
23 July 2025
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On top of that, the battery easily goes a week without begging for a charger, and the square AMOLED display is way easier to read mid-run than a round one.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
21 July 2025
Verb
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While the pipeline had obtained an agreement with the leadership of the Wet’suwet’en First Nation elected under Canadian law, members of the community who recognize only hereditary leaders opposed having the pipeline on their land and blockaded a construction road in 2021.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
7 July 2025
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More so, after Tehran’s seemingly unlikely threats to blockade the Strait of Hormuz have not been followed through even partially.—
Gaurav Sharma,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2025
Verb
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The same substantive deficits afflict Louise-Parker, too, whose bright eyes and brusque wit are wasted in a role that’s villainous potential exists only in exposition.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
13 July 2025
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Heat waves like the one currently afflicting the East Coast of the U.S. have been made far more likely by centuries of unchecked burning of fossil fuels — which release heat-trapping chemicals like carbon dioxide.—
Saul Elbein,
The Hill,
25 June 2025
Verb
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Prosecutors have petitioned for the teenager's case to be tried in adult court.—
Ariela Lopez,
jsonline.com,
1 Aug. 2025
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The local tourism body has petitioned authorities to close the turnstiles, insisting the issue is being overblown.—
Barbie Latza Nadeau,
CNN Money,
31 July 2025
Verb
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JCPenney has a standalone store in Matteson on a perimeter road southeast of U.S. 30 and Cicero Avenue that once encircled Lincoln Mall, since demolished.—
Mike Nolan,
Chicago Tribune,
31 July 2025
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As of Friday noon, the fire crew successfully encircled the entire perimeter of the fire in control lines.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
25 July 2025
Verb
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Soliman spent about four years at Cincinnati Children's, first arriving in the United States in 2014 after being persecuted in his native Egypt for work in support of freelance journalists.—
Patricia Gallagher Newberry,
The Enquirer,
25 July 2025
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The state government, closely aligned with Virginia’s de facto official Anglican church, persecuted Baptists during the 18th century.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Besiege.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besiege. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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