as in obsessive
caused by or suggestive of an irresistible urge
that woman's besetting need to meddle in the affairs of others
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
he's been beset by a lack of self-confidence virtually his entire life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacking
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 besetting
Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
To his sons, however, the Party offers meaning and purpose—a powerful countervailing force to the lack of prospects besetting their generation, which had been decimated by the Great War.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2025
Verb
The Leafs needed an NHL player with injuries besetting their blue line.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026
To his sons, however, the Party offers meaning and purpose—a powerful countervailing force to the lack of prospects besetting their generation, which had been decimated by the Great War.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besetting
Adjective
-
The service The Capella brand is known for its near-obsessive approach to hospitality, and this Taipei outpost is no exception.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
22 Feb. 2026
-
Back then, most of her wardrobe consisted of hand-me-downs from her sister, Alice, a vintage obsessive, and pieces handmade by her mother, a seamstress talented enough to make her own wedding dress.—
Daniel Rodgers,
Vogue,
22 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The Bureau of Engineering selected Tetra Tech, a global engineering firm, to fortify and relight the stretch of road that connects downtown Los Angeles to Boyle Heights, which has essentially gone dark due to the amount of copper theft plaguing the area.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The decibel drama proved, intentionally or not, to be a deflection from the far more pressing issues plaguing the UConn men’s basketball team at the moment, despite a 24-3 record for which most any Huskies fan would have signed on the dotted line when the season began.—
Dom Amore,
Hartford Courant,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The fight marks Strickland’s first bout since he was suspended from the UFC in July 2025 for attacking another fighter while working as a cornerman during an event.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
19 Feb. 2026
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The Best New Artist nominees have been attacking beauty from all fronts as of late.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Just Friends By Haley Pham Blair and Declan were once inseparable best friends whose brief, impulsive romance ended in heartbreak and silence after one shattering moment.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
21 Feb. 2026
-
After getting two appointments right (Steve Cooper and Nuno Espirito Santo), Marinakis has reverted to type, with impulsive and erratic decision-making having undermined Forest’s campaign from the start.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But the overlap with unusually frigid temperatures afflicting Florida's Space Coast and the rest of the country have turned Crew-12's launch opportunities into an intricate dance around Artemis 2.—
Josh Dinner,
Space.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Their bread-and-butter is comforting the most comfortable by afflicting the most afflicted.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Similarly, federal prosecutors have lost all five cases accusing protesters of assaulting federal officers that have gone to trial in the Los Angeles area, according to data from the US attorney’s office there as of earlier this month.—
Isabelle Chapman,
CNN Money,
19 Feb. 2026
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Jacobo was previously arrested in June 2024 for allegedly assaulting a female family member and again in November 2025 for assaulting Sanchez, according to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by The Dallas Morning News.—
Suryatapa Chakraborty,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But so often left unsaid by Gu are the moral ambiguities that come with choosing to represent a country that has been heavily criticized by Human Rights Watch, among other watchdog groups, for denying rights of freedom of expression and for persecuting government critics.—
Zak Keefer,
New York Times,
17 Feb. 2026
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Troops are occupying our cities and persecuting our people.—
Maria Guinnip,
Oklahoman,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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On Tuesday, the PDF retaliated by raiding positions held by the MNRA.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
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But is raiding your retirement for a home purchase a financially sound idea?—
Becca Stanek,
TheWeek,
4 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Besetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besetting. Accessed 24 Feb. 2026.
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