beleaguered

Definition of beleaguerednext
past tense of beleaguer
as in besieged
to surround (as a fortified place) with armed forces for the purpose of capturing or preventing commerce and communication beleaguered the castle for months

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of beleaguered Original concepts include mazes set in a demonic version of the Old West, a life-sized toybox full of twisted dolls and a frozen Northern town beleaguered by monsters. Julie Tremaine, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for beleaguered
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beleaguered
besieged
Verb
  • The Windy City is suddenly besieged by a string of bomb threats, but in the midst of all the false alarms, a real situation emerges in the form of military-grade smoke grenades, which points to a terrorist threat.
    Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Halladay said she’s heard from multiple doctors, including her child’s pediatrician, that they’ve been besieged with calls from parents hoping to get a prescription.
    Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 19 Dec. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Beleaguered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beleaguered. Accessed 18 Jan. 2026.

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