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
Relevance
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
Verb
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And as a fight over the reauthorization of a key national security surveillance law plagues the lower chamber, moving forward with the DHS funding hasn't appeared to be a top priority.—
Kaia Hubbard,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026 -
The reclined riding position spreads body weight evenly, eliminating the back, neck, and wrist strain that plagues conventional cycling.—
Omar Kardoudi
April 20,
New Atlas,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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On Earth, the dangerous terrorist group known as the Wolfpack attacks major landmarks, such as Big Ben.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
25 Apr. 2026
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Nektar Therapeutics said Monday that extended treatment with its experimental drug, called rezpeg, promoted greater hair growth in people with severe alopecia areata, an autoimmune condition that attacks hair follicles.—
Adam Feuerstein,
STAT,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Consider osteoarthritis, which afflicts roughly 33 million Americans by gradually wearing down cartilage in the joints.—
Bryan T. Kelly,
Fortune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Regeneron also gained Food and Drug Administration approval on April 23 for its gene therapy, Otarmeni, which will be prescribed to treat a rare type of hearing loss that afflicts about 50 newborns in the United States each year.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The Pios’ culture assaults the senses the moment players step onto campus.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
13 Apr. 2026
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The White House told ProPublica that anyone who assaults federal immigration agents would be prosecuted.—
Nicole Foy,
ProPublica,
18 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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
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In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
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That figure has dwindled to around 3 percent as fewer candidates avail themselves of the money and Congress raids the fund for other things.—
Adam Lashinsky,
Washington Post,
12 Apr. 2026
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Some owls will hunt the wildlife that raids our garbage cans, like skunks and opossums.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Blanche says on Monday that the noises correspond with the time the suspect allegedly storms the Secret Service security checkpoint on the floor above the ballroom.—
Bill Hutchinson,
ABC News,
28 Apr. 2026
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Inflamed by Ratansen’s adviser’s account of Padmavati’s beauty, Alauddin Khalji storms the fortress by treachery rather than valor.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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This strikes me as an inelegant way to write Tommy off the show, if that’s indeed what’s happening.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
27 Apr. 2026
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When midnight strikes, everything shifts.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Besets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besets. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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