siege

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 The siege had lasted five hundred days, more than three times as long as the siege of Stalingrad. Nicolas Niarchos, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025 One of the most fatal massacres occurred at the Saudi Maternity Hospital, which was the last functioning hospital as the city fell under siege. Callum Sutherland, Time, 7 Nov. 2025 Kadugli town also has been under RSF siege for months with tens of thousands of people trapped, as the paramilitary group tries to seize more territory from its rival, the Sudanese military. NPR, 3 Nov. 2025 Surrounded by a sand barrier built during an 18-month siege, most of the 250,000 people in el-Fasher, in western Sudan, have been trapped as paramilitary fighters from the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have rampaged through the city. Sara Monetta, NBC news, 1 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for siege
Recent Examples of Synonyms for siege
Noun
  • All three nuclear powers have established their own nuclear triad, consisting of ICBMs, submarines armed with ballistic missiles and nuclear-capable aircraft, which ensure their forces can survive a first strike and retaliate, thereby deterring a nuclear attack.
    Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • But in the final weeks of the race, both campaigns traded personal attacks.
    Joe Hernandez, NPR, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Most Gazans who had come of age or graduated from university in 2006 when Israel’s blockade was imposed were in 2023 reaching the second half of their thirties without ever having had a job, despite their impressive educational achievements.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
  • China has also ramped up military pressure on the island, including near-daily flights across the midline of the Taiwan Strait and large-scale exercises simulating a blockade.
    Micah McCartney, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • On the Amazon Prime Video postgame recap of the Lakers-Grizzlies clash, former six-time All-Star power forward Blake Griffin took umbrage with Morant's occasional mid-game bouts with apathy.
    Alex Kirschenbaum, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Kansas Jayhawks freshman point guard Darryn Peterson, who played just five minutes in the second half of KU’s Monday season opener against Green Bay because of a recurring bout with cramps, practiced Tuesday night and again Wednesday.
    Gary Bedore, Kansas City Star, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • That November 2013 visit led to a weeklong FBI seizure in April 2014 that captured worldwide attention as people questioned how and why a nonagenarian Hoosier, considered a pillar of his community, hoarded cultural treasures for so long while evading the law.
    Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 5 Nov. 2025
  • That first seizure had a profound impact on Chase.
    Jack Beresford, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • In certain cases, they were sent for no evident reason beyond trolling or threatening predominantly Democratic cities.
    Peter D. Feaver, Foreign Affairs, 12 Nov. 2025
  • Loewen’s case is not listed in El Dorado Superior Court.
    Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 12 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • There are 13 official classes in D&D 5th Edition, with each class having distinct skills, spells and ways that shape how a character handles challenges and interacts with the game world.
    Ashlyn Robinette, PEOPLE, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The micro-car rolls on four 12-inch wheels wearing 125/65 tires, and benefits from a relatively short hood for good visibility through a windshield that's kept clear during rainy spells by a single wiper.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 10 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Siege.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/siege. Accessed 22 Nov. 2025.

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