beset; besetting
1
: to set or stud with or as if with ornaments
a crown beset with rubies
… leaves, whose edges were beset with thorns …—
J. G. Frazer
J. G. Frazer
be·set·ment
bi-ˈset-mənt 
bē-
plural -s
Examples of beset in a Sentence
Verb
A lack of money is the greatest problem besetting the city today.
he's been beset by a lack of self-confidence virtually his entire life
Recent Examples on the Web
Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 6 June 2026
Haiti’s national team qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 52 years, but players had to train abroad as the Caribbean nation is beset by gang control of most of its capital and a humanitarian crisis.
—Greg Cote
june 4, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
The maker of Hot Wheels, American Girl and Uno has recently confronted a challenging market for toys, beset by tariffs on goods produced overseas and weaker-than-expected demand for Barbie dolls and Fisher-Price preschool products.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Our new weekly newsletter, Fortune Gulf Brief, will bring you the smartest coverage of the region, beset now by geopolitical volatility but still one of the most exciting and business-consequential regions in the world.
—Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for beset
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.
Verb
But there's been a spike in attacks in the park related to the armed conflict that's beset the region for more than 30 years.
—Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 6 June 2026
Haiti’s national team qualified for the World Cup for the first time in 52 years, but players had to train abroad as the Caribbean nation is beset by gang control of most of its capital and a humanitarian crisis.
—Greg Cote
june 4, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026
The maker of Hot Wheels, American Girl and Uno has recently confronted a challenging market for toys, beset by tariffs on goods produced overseas and weaker-than-expected demand for Barbie dolls and Fisher-Price preschool products.
—Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026
Our new weekly newsletter, Fortune Gulf Brief, will bring you the smartest coverage of the region, beset now by geopolitical volatility but still one of the most exciting and business-consequential regions in the world.
—Alyson Shontell, Fortune, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for beset
Cite this Entry
“Beset.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beset. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
