beleaguered

adjective

be·​lea·​guered bi-ˈlē-gərd 

bē-

: suffering or being subjected to constant or repeated trouble or harassment

an economically beleaguered city

With its life-support system cut off, the beleaguered college has embarked on a tortuous campaign to keep going.

—Lucinda Harper

… as he evolved from conformist to opportunist to reformer to revolutionary to beleaguered leader.

—Philip Taubman

Examples of beleaguered in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Some 136 newspapers in the United States have closed in the past year, news deserts are expanding and web traffic to the nation’s top newspapers has dropped markedly this decade, according to a report issued Monday that struggles to find hope for the beleaguered news industry. —David Bauder, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2025

That’s welcome news not only for Milei and his beleaguered government, which will hold nationwide midterm elections on Sunday, but also for American hedge funds that have been investing in Argentinean assets. —John Cassidy, New Yorker, 20 Oct. 2025

The 27-year-old would undoubtedly have fancied his chances of getting back on track against a beleaguered Fiorentina side, but looks set to play no part after withdrawing through injury just half an hour into the USMNT’s friendly against Australia on Tuesday. —Jack Bantock, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2025

With advocates and employees imploring San Jose to find a fresh voice for its beleaguered animal shelter, the city has chosen a new leader from outside its ranks to run the refuge long beset with accusations of mismanagement. —Devan Patel, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of beleaguer

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined above