besets

verb

present tense third-person singular of beset
1
as in plagues
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 attacks
to take sudden, violent action against the unsuspecting tourists were suddenly beset by robbers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for besets
  1. plagues
  2. attacks
  3. afflicts
  4. assaults
  5. persecutes
  6. raids
  7. storms
  8. strikes
Verb
  • What plagues America right now, in Cox’s telling, is not bad manners, or even political division, but contempt—the conviction that those who don’t share our opinions or values are beneath us and unworthy of good-faith engagement.
    — McKay Coppins, The Atlantic, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Yet the monopolisation that plagues other top tiers, while not as stark in England, is creeping in.
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of plagues
Verb
  • Ronald agrees to a quote that attacks Cooper for allowing violent criminals a second chance, when his son wouldn’t get one.
    — Danielle Battaglia, Charlotte Observer, 9 Sep. 2026
  • At the end of episode 5, Gerry attacks Danny at his and Chad’s house and breaks into the basement with all of Chad’s prosthetics on display, giving him evidence of their fraud.
    — Francesca Gariano, PEOPLE, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of attacks
Verb
  • The painful condition, which causes tissue similar to the lining of the uterus to grow on other parts of the body, afflicts 1 in 10 women worldwide.
    — Laura Ungar, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Unraveling Medical Mysteries Patients with undiagnosed conditions suffer not only from their symptoms but also from the uncertainly of not knowing what afflicts them.
    — The New York Review of Books, The New York Review of Books, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of afflicts
Verb
  • Anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
    — Christina Fan, CBS News, 7 June 2026
  • Any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates or interferes with airline crew members can lead to penalties of up to $43,658 per violation, according to the FAA.
    — Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 3 May 2026
Definition of assaults
Verb
  • China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
  • In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.
    — Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025
Definition of persecutes
Verb
  • In the character's final scene, as the DEA raids her rural compound, Laurie ties a rope around her neck and jumps from the roof of her home.
    — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
  • In the meantime, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) finally raids Laurie's property, thanks to the intel Rue had been giving them.
    — Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 1 June 2026
Definition of raids
Verb
  • But after Chad refuses to follow Gerry’s demands during the team’s final game, Gerry storms onto the field to reveal his secret — only to be tackled by Tricia Yeager’s (Wynn Everett) bodyguard.
    — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 10 Sep. 2026
  • This does not sit well with Chapel, who witnesses the exchange then storms off angrily.
    — Keith Phipps, Vulture, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of storms
Verb
  • What strikes me most, after years of studying these traditions, is the pace.
    — Pardis Mahdavi, The Conversation, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Sitting somewhere between a loafer and a pump, this Proenza Schouler shoe strikes the perfect balance.
    — Madeline Fass, Vogue, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of strikes
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Besets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besets. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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