under siege
idiom
1
: surrounded with soldiers or police officers in a siege
The city was under siege and food was getting scarce.
2
: very seriously attacked or criticized by many people
The newspaper has been under siege lately by its readers for printing a false story.
Examples of under siege in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In his last days, my dying father longed for figs and other fruit, but thyme and duqqa were the only foods available in abundance under siege.
—
Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
The officers also used the 2020 demonstrations — which began as peaceful demonstrations after George Floyd’s police killing in Minneapolis but devolved into 200 days of sustained protest and sometimes violent clashes — to undermine the administration’s contention that the city is now under siege.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 8 Nov. 2025
Although conservatives have a supermajority on the Supreme Court and control the other two branches of the federal government, the questions focused not on their successes but on how to deal with feeling under siege.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
El-Fasher had been under siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces for 18 months, cutting off much food and other supplies to tens of thousands of people.
—NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for under siege
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.
Literary Hub, 10 Nov. 2025
The officers also used the 2020 demonstrations — which began as peaceful demonstrations after George Floyd’s police killing in Minneapolis but devolved into 200 days of sustained protest and sometimes violent clashes — to undermine the administration’s contention that the city is now under siege.
—Ella Lee, The Hill, 8 Nov. 2025
Although conservatives have a supermajority on the Supreme Court and control the other two branches of the federal government, the questions focused not on their successes but on how to deal with feeling under siege.
—Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 7 Nov. 2025
El-Fasher had been under siege by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces for 18 months, cutting off much food and other supplies to tens of thousands of people.
—NPR, 3 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for under siege
Cite this Entry
“Under siege.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/under%20siege. Accessed 14 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share