beleaguer
verb
Did you know?
There's no getting around it: beleaguer is a "troubling" word. It comes from the Dutch verb belegeren, which in turn combines leger, meaning "camp," and the prefix be- (a relative of the English be- meaning "about" or "around"). While the Dutch word, meaning "to camp around," is neutral, its descendent beleaguer implies a whole heap of fuss and bother. Beleaguer was first used in the late 16th century, and is still used today, as a synonym of besiege; indeed, an army beleaguering or besieging a castle may also be said to be "camping around" it, albeit with nefarious rather than recreational purposes. This sense of beleaguer was almost immediately joined, however, by its now more common—and less martial—meaning of "to cause constant or repeated trouble for."
Examples of beleaguer in a Sentence
Zoë Hopkins, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
This spring, graduates are leaving their respective alma maters and entering a job market that is beleaguered with uncertainty.
—Adam Harris, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
But their chances have appeared to improve in recent weeks as the unpopular war with Iran and stubborn affordability issues have beleaguered GOP midterm ambitions.
—Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 6 May 2026
Republicans have not won a statewide election since 2006 and some hoped Swalwell’s controversy would fuel voters already beleaguered by the cost of living to consider supporting GOP candidates this year.
—Seema Mehta, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for beleaguer
Cite this Entry
“Beleaguer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beleaguer. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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beleaguer
verb
