1
as in encircles
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in persecutes
to cause persistent suffering to
a family besieged by worries about the faltering economy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in begs
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besieges
Verb
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The trail encircles a large, ADA-accessible playground and also provides views of the South Bend skyline.—
Erika Ebsworth-Goold,
Midwest Living,
4 Jan. 2026 -
Many travelers choose to explore the area via the Ring of Kerry, the scenic drive that encircles the peninsula.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Dec. 2025
Verb
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In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The film begs us to make the leap to relevance, to say that this creature’s trial is the trial of being alive today.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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Still, the rapid adoption of Burrito League begs the challenge—what the hell is so appealing about running around and around and around the same restaurant for days on end?—
Frederick Dreier,
Outside,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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An autoimmune disease is a chronic condition in which part of your immune system mistakenly attacks part of your own body.—
Ruth Jessen Hickman,
Health,
10 Feb. 2026
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After learning that Casper had been diagnosed with Guillain Barré Syndrome, a condition in which the body’s immune system attacks the nerves, Aidan Oldenburg, Ben Richardson and Luc Violette needed somebody with experience that could help them in the interim.—
Dane Mizutani,
Twin Cities,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The damned disease especially plagues Mexican American men like me, and many aren’t getting screened.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
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Similarly, programs that encourage regular movement and mental breaks help mitigate the burnout that often plagues high-growth teams.—
Serenity Gibbons,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Road blockades, traffic slowdowns and other protests were widespread – from the southern port city of Marseille to Lille and Caen in the north, and from Nantes and Rennes in the west to Grenoble and Lyon in the southeast.—
Greg Norman,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In other words, a sort of onanism of the soul afflicts him.—
Hermione Hoby,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
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The disease afflicts individuals as well as corporate entities.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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So everyone crosses their fingers, hopes mostly for good health and then prays that an extended late season break doesn’t derail the momentum the Stars have managed to create in the last 10 days.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Feb. 2026
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Instead, the 26-year-old gets ready, journals, prays and reads.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Besieges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besieges. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.
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