beleaguered

1 of 2

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

beleaguered

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of beleaguer

Examples of beleaguered in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Other sculptural works, beleaguered shapes are crafted with Alpi plywood — embedded with colorful, multilaminar components embracing tree-forms. — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 23 Oct. 2026

The sale is not expected to close until next year, but the group led by Los Angeles Rams owner Stan Kroenke is already making significant changes to the beleaguered franchise. — Chantz Martin Outkick, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026

The sale is not expected to close until next year, but the sports conglomerate run by Rams owner Stan Kroenke is already making significant changes to its beleaguered baseball team. — Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026

The red-brick nursing home tucked off a busy road in Taunton used to be a rare jewel in a beleaguered industry, polished to a high sheen. — Kay Lazar, STAT, 20 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of beleaguer

First Known Use

Adjective

1644, in the meaning defined above