1
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
he's been beset by a lack of self-confidence virtually his entire life
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to attack
to take sudden, violent action against
the unsuspecting tourists were suddenly beset by robbers
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of beset
But with the rash of injuries that has beset the Wild this month, the 34-year-old has been picking up the slack.
—
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 21 Jan. 2026
Plans for the embassy have been beset by objections and protests since 2018, when China’s government bought the site at Royal Mint Court, where Britain’s money was once made, for around $300 million.
—Sylvia Hui, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Even in an era beset with shocking developments, this one shocked people.
—Clare Malone, New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2026
The Old Imperial Bar—a polished jewel beset along the edge of the Imperial Hotel’s sprawling mezzanine—might just supersede all else in the city.
—Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for beset
Jess Myers, Twin Cities, 21 Jan. 2026
Plans for the embassy have been beset by objections and protests since 2018, when China’s government bought the site at Royal Mint Court, where Britain’s money was once made, for around $300 million.
—Sylvia Hui, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
Even in an era beset with shocking developments, this one shocked people.
—Clare Malone, New Yorker, 20 Jan. 2026
The Old Imperial Bar—a polished jewel beset along the edge of the Imperial Hotel’s sprawling mezzanine—might just supersede all else in the city.
—Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for beset
Recent Examples of Synonyms for beset
Verb
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But for decades, sections of it have been plagued by the dumping of toxic chemicals and untreated sewage.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
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This has gradually caused difficulties in living her own life as she is plagued with violent memories.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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In severe cases, the virus can attack parts of the brain that control basic life functions like eye movement, heart rate and blood pressure, causing permanent damage.—
Michal Ruprecht,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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Ukraine's air force said that Russia attacked overnight with one ballistic missile and 146 strike drones, 103 of which were shot down or destroyed using electronic warfare.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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At least 32 deaths have been reported in states afflicted with severe cold, including two people run over by snowplows in Massachusetts and Ohio, fatal sledding accidents that killed teenagers in Arkansas and Texas, and a woman whose body was found covered in snow in Kansas.—
Russ Bynum,
Los Angeles Times,
27 Jan. 2026
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At least 30 deaths have been reported in states afflicted with severe cold, including two people run over by snowplows in Massachusetts and Ohio, fatal sledding accidents that killed teenagers in Arkansas and Texas, and a woman whose body was found covered in snow in Kansas.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The suspect beat the victim with a construction sign and then continued to assault the victim using the victim's bicycle.—
Jeramie Bizzle,
CBS News,
12 Jan. 2026
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Citizens have had their front doors blown out, been hit with pepper balls for praying outside government facilities, been wrongfully charged with assaulting agents, and have seen their identification papers dismissed as fake and thus grounds for detainment.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Open Doors is a global Christian charity supporting Christians persecuted for their faith.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
28 Dec. 2025
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Most commonly, people felt they were being persecuted via their electronics – that their Wi-Fi networks, computers or cellphones had been hacked or implanted with tracking devices.—
Alaina Vandervoort Burns,
The Conversation,
17 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Pakistan's security forces have raided two militant hideouts in the country's southwest, killing 41 insurgents in separate gun battles, the military said Friday.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
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Should stylists raid the closets of every season’s costumes of Downton Abbey?—
Merle Ginsberg,
HollywoodReporter,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Verb
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During an earlier news conference, Beshear said state investigators were looking into three weekend deaths that were possibly storm related.—
Leo Bertucci,
Louisville Courier Journal,
26 Jan. 2026
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An anti-ICE protest outside a Minneapolis hotel turned violent Sunday night, with some smashing windows and throwing bottles as federal officers fought to keep them from storming inside.—
Nick Ferraro,
Twin Cities,
26 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Beset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beset. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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