siege

1 of 2

noun

ˈsēj How to pronounce siege (audio)
 also  ˈsēzh
1
a
: a military blockade of a city or fortified place to compel it to surrender
b
: a persistent or serious attack (as of illness)
2
obsolete : a seat of distinction : throne

siege

2 of 2

verb

sieged; sieging

transitive verb

: to lay siege to : to attack militarily : besiege
Insurgents rampaged through the countryside, sacked haciendas and mills, occupied small towns, and sieged the largest cities, Cusco and La Paz.Sergio Serulnikov
Phrases
lay siege to
1
: to besiege militarily
2
: to pursue diligently or persistently

Examples of siege in a Sentence

Noun The castle was built to withstand a siege. The city is in a state of siege.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Noun
Our Hispanic residents, our African American residents, our Asian American residents, our white residents are all begging for relief from ICE siege of our neighborhood and our community. Dan Gooding, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025 Over time, Frank’s writings and likeness have inspired comparisons to the siege of civilians during the Balkan wars, the events of the Rwandan genocide, and the suffering of political prisoners incarcerated in Apartheid-era South Africa. Time, 30 Sep. 2025
Verb
Moreover, the Geneva Conventions themselves do not require a sieging party to allow in aid when it will be commandeered by the enemy or provide a military advantage, both of which are indisputably the case with Hamas in Gaza. Matt Robison, Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2024 Police then began negotiations with other people in the home before authorities eventually sieged the house with armored vehicles. Christopher Cann, USA TODAY, 1 May 2024 See All Example Sentences for siege

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English sege, from Anglo-French, seat, blockade, from Old French *siegier to seat, settle, from Vulgar Latin *sedicare, from Latin sedēre to sit — more at sit

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of siege was in the 13th century

Cite this Entry

“Siege.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/siege. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

siege

noun
1
: the placing of an army around a fortified place or city to force it to surrender
2
: a lasting attack (as of illness)

More from Merriam-Webster on siege

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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