BESET Synonyms: 155 Similar and Opposite Words

beset

verb

bi-ˈset

Definition of beset

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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 beset His detractors see him as a polarizing leader who, beset by an ongoing corruption trial, dragged out the war in Gaza and its hostage crisis for political reasons. — Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026 But the $11 billion project, which is under construction, has been beset by controversy after the government floated a plan to divert it into an existing road. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026 In June, the district attorney’s office filed public nuisance lawsuits intended to shut down two motels, Super 7 Inn and Delux Inn, on South Freeway in Fort Worth that are beset by crime. — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Oct. 2026 The director general was attempting to lift the gloom after being beset with questions from anxious employees about job losses, service reductions, and general retrenchment. — Max Goldbart, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beset

Recent Examples of Synonyms for beset

Verb

Neighbors, who had previously reported being plagued by the nuisance animal for months, were shocked to see the same coyote appearing in their yards and approaching them in the street.

— Fedor Zarkhin, Los Angeles Times, 11 Nov. 2026
Sánchez's family has also been plagued by corruption scandals.

— Natalie Feary, CNBC, 11 Nov. 2026

Definition of plague

Verb

Hawley said the majority of conflicts between humans and coyotes occurs when a pet owner tries to save their pet from an attacking coyote.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 2 Nov. 2026
Running as the populist candidate, Brown has repeatedly attacked Husted as the face of data centers in the state and pushed to take on Silicon Valley if elected to office again.

— Mabinty Quarshie, The Washington Examiner, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of attack

Verb

More than two years later, the neighborhoods most afflicted by gun violence are still waiting, and mystery surrounds a process that should have been straightforward.

— The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 10 Nov. 2026
Tarantism mostly afflicted impoverished individuals, particularly women (tarantatas).

— Laura Kiniry, Popular Science, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of afflict

Verb

Briana Winkle says her son's school principal called to tell her there was video footage of her 7-year-old son, Maddox, being physically assaulted by his teacher inside his special education classroom.

— Amelia Mugavero, CBS News, 13 Nov. 2026
The members of Transport Workers Union Local 100 are constantly assaulted in incidents ranging from a punch in the face to one in which a train operator was stabbed 11 times and nearly killed.

— John Chiarello, New York Daily News, 12 Nov. 2026

Definition of assault

Verb

His Federal Communications Commission has persecuted TV networks and sought to muzzle late-night comedians who bruise the president’s ever-so-fragile feelings.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2026
The Paxton campaign decried the reporting, without denying it, while saying he had been politically persecuted.

— Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of persecute

Verb

Known as The Max, the facility was at the center of a bribery scheme that led to the conviction of the former mayor of neighboring McCook, whose office was raided the same day as Getty’s.

— Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
However, it was ruled last month that the search warrants that allowed police to raid his homes were unlawful.

— Stephanie Petit, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of raid

Verb

Lawyers and lobbyists with expertise in congressional investigations and close ties to Democrats report being besieged by private-sector clients braced for a new world of oversight.

— Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 4 Nov. 2026
French cities have been shaken in recent weeks by vandalism and looting sparked by cost-of-living demonstrations, amid a broader crisis besieging the country’s lame-duck centrist government that has spiked French bond yields.

— Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of besiege

Verb

Ohio State jumped to a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter when Jackson ran it in from 16 and 8 yards before Oregon stormed back.

— Joe Reedy, Chicago Tribune, 8 Nov. 2026
Ohio State jumped to a 14-0 lead late in the first quarter as Jackson ran it in from 16 and 8 yards before Oregon stormed back.

— ABC News, ABC News, 7 Nov. 2026

Definition of storm

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Style

“Beset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/beset. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of beset

verb

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