siege

Definition of siegenext
1
as in attack
a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder a devastating siege of typhoid fever hit the city

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2
as in blockade
the cutting off of an area by military means to stop the flow of people or supplies after a siege of six weeks, the city of Vicksburg surrendered to General Grant and his Union forces

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of siege In all, the megacluster provides a sophisticated siege on an essential pathway in many bacteria, including Streptomyces’ foes. Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026 Born and educated in El Fasher, Ibrahim, a general practitioner, had worked throughout the siege in the last functioning health care facility, known as the Saudi Maternity Hospital, in the city. Janine Di Giovanni, Vanity Fair, 25 June 2026 The military broke more than yearlong siege on the city early last year. ABC News, 24 June 2026 Disease had significantly weakened Tenochtitlán’s ability to withstand Cortés’s siege, and the Europeans eventually wore the Aztec warriors down and broke through the city’s defenses, slaughtering the Aztecs and destroying the city. Jordana Rosenfeld, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for siege
Recent Examples of Synonyms for siege
Noun
  • The British Army also provided protection from attacks by Native American tribes, giving many settlers little reason to support a rebellion.
    Hank Tester, CBS News, 1 July 2026
  • Twice in recent days, the United States has launched retaliatory strikes on Iran following drone attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
    Francesca Chambers, USA Today, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • King’s Landing has been roiling with chaos — the blockade, Aegon’s disappearance — which the mighty presence of Vhagar kept in check until now.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026
  • Compounding the strains sparked by the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz blockade is this year’s El Niño weather phenomenon, which experts warn could further squeeze African countries, especially soft commodity exporters.
    Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • The almost two-week-old truce has been under persistent strain, with the latest bout of attacks beginning after an Iranian projectile hit a cargo ship on Thursday, prompting strikes by the US, and then Tehran hitting Washington’s Gulf allies.
    Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 29 June 2026
  • But in the latest bout of public uncertainty, a senior Iranian official suggested this may not be the case.
    Alexander Smith, NBC news, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • In court documents, O’Hara alleged the defendants violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights, accusing them of unlawfully restricting free speech and initiating an unlawful seizure while using excessive force.
    Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
  • Later Wednesday, Mexico City Health Secretary Nadine Gasman, told a news conference that another man, about 30, was treated by emergency personnel after suffering an epileptic seizure, convulsions, and gastrointestinal bleeding.
    ABC News, ABC News, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • Unfortunately, there are cases where an individual’s illness is so advanced that there is no curative treatment available.
    Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2026
  • Around 100 immigration cases are scheduled at one time and respondents must attend in person, a practice that has strained an already overwhelmed system and further complicated the shifting legal landscape, attorneys working in the court say.
    Itzel Luna, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
Noun
  • In France, more than 1,000 excess deaths were recorded during the heat spell, according to the country’s national public health agency.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • Dettori retired as a jockey after taking some rides in Brazil following a spell racing in the United States, Britain's PA news agency reported.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Siege.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/siege. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

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