besiege

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verb

Definition of BESIEGE

1

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 beleaguer, blockade, invest, leaguer [archaic]

Related Words barricade, block, cut off, dam, encircle; assail, assault, attack, beset; confine, insulate, isolate, quarantine

Phrases lay siege to

Near Antonyms emancipate, free, liberate, release, rescue

2

to cause persistent suffering to <a family besieged by worries about the faltering economy>

Synonyms agonize, anguish, bedevil, beset, besiege, curse, excruciate, harrow, persecute, plague, rack, torment, torture

Related Words assail, attack; badger, dog, hound, pursue, ride; aggravate, agitate, annoy, bother, bug, chafe, distress, disturb, exasperate, gall, get, grate, gripe, hagride, harass, harry, irk, irritate, molest, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put out, rasp, rile, vex; discomfort, discompose, disquiet, fluster, grieve, perturb, strain, stress, trouble, try, upset, worry; crush, oppress, overpower, overwhelm, smite, strike, tyrannize, victimize; hurt, pain, pang, prick, smart, stab, sting, wring; martyr

Near Antonyms abet, aid, assist, help; deliver, release, relieve, reprieve; comfort, console, content, quiet, solace, soothe, succor

3

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 appeal (to), beseech, besiege, conjure, entreat, impetrate, implore, importune, petition, plead (to), pray, solicit, supplicate

Related Words bludge [chiefly Australian & New Zealand], cadge, mooch, sponge; ask, desire, invoke, request, sue; claim, coerce, command, compel, demand, force, insist, require

Near Antonyms hint, imply, intimate, suggest; appease, conciliate, gratify, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, please, satisfy; comfort, console, content, quiet