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
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 besetting
Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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
-
Extreme deficits may lead to obsessive food tracking, anxiety around eating, or disordered eating patterns.—
Heather Jones,
Verywell Health,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Any new publication of hers is mandatory reading, and not just because transgender Americans are under an obsessive, incessant series of assaults from the current administration and the right more broadly.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The scientists set out to investigate a debilitating and lethal parasite that’s been plaguing monarchs.—
Drew Kann,
AJC.com,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Johnson was staring down an urgent mission to address the virus plaguing her children.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Obstructing, impeding, or attacking federal law enforcement is a federal crime.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
What now is the difference between the United States attacking Venezuela in order to install new leadership and Russia invading Ukraine to effect annexation and leadership change?—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Your impulsive actions might disrupt something.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
13 Jan. 2026
-
While genuinely intrigued by Lucy, his inconsistency and impulsive reactions complicate their relationship, which was already competing with the lingering shadow of Stephen.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Other geopolitical threats afflicting OPEC+ nations continue to simmer.—
Grant Smith,
Fortune,
4 Jan. 2026
-
The Canadian national conscience is rightly troubled by the serious social problems afflicting Indigenous Canada.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
27 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
The suspect was later federally charged with assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.—
WCCO Staff,
CBS News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
She was charged with assaulting a federal officer, but federal prosecutors later dismissed the case after security camera video and body camera footage emerged showing a Border Patrol agent steering his vehicle into Martinez’s truck.—
Claudia Lauer,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has repeatedly alleged that the South African government is actively persecuting white citizens, particularly farmers.—
Gabe Whisnant,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Nov. 2025
-
The former human-rights lawyer entered on a tourist visa and filed for political asylum in October of that year, claiming the governments that succeeded Correa were persecuting him.—
Syra Ortiz Blanes,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
People were raiding stores and so forth.—
Brian Davids,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The biggest compliment is that teams are raiding Brentford.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Besetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besetting. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
