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
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
-
March 2026 Prose's debut novel is centered around Molly Gray, a 25-year-old maid at the Regency Grand Hotel, a five-star boutique hotel, who has an obsessive love of cleaning and proper etiquette.—
Angeline Jane Bernabe,
ABC News,
3 Mar. 2026
-
Hjorth’s protagonists also turn that obsessive attention outward—to try to understand others.—
Honor Jones,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The report is among the latest examples of the affordability crisis plaguing Americans who are struggling to afford the cost of living amid stubbornly high prices for food, housing, utilities and other necessities.—
Tami Luhby,
CNN Money,
12 Mar. 2026
-
CrowdStrike stock has slipped 7% this year, caught up in the broader sell-off plaguing the software industry.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The crude market has been hit by wild volatility since the United States and Israel began striking Iran at the end of last month, with Tehran retaliating by attacking targets across the oil-rich Gulf and effectively shutting down the Strait of Hormuz.—
Nur Hikmah Md Ali,
CNBC,
12 Mar. 2026
-
After many of them, Trump officials moved quickly to justify the shooting and accuse the victim of attacking agents, all before an investigation had taken place.—
Ruby Cramer,
New Yorker,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
That decline often leads to impulsive or overly cautious actions.—
Fazila Shahid,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
-
Just be wise about your investments — avoid impulsive window shopping in favor of researching quality items that increase your quality of life.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
There’s the one about afflicting the comfortable and comforting the afflicted.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
13 Mar. 2026
-
One of the strengths of the film is a precise visual design that alternates between distance and intimacy, with Caswill using the landscapes of her Alberta location to clearly and concisely express the sense of loneliness and isolation afflicting her heroine.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Philadelphia Common Pleas Court Judge Michael Fanning has been suspended without pay for assaulting two women, including his 30-year-old daughter, a court docket shows Thursday.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
13 Mar. 2026
-
A day before the stabbings, Ricks had appeared in court after having been charged with assaulting Sanchez during a previous incident.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
Troops are occupying our cities and persecuting our people.—
Maria Guinnip,
Oklahoman,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Marathon isn't just about the alien planet and the thrill of raiding a colony's remains; those looking for deeper sci-fi themes (and willing to do some reading and listening) will be fed too.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
7 Mar. 2026
-
An immigration approach that focuses on apprehending dangerous criminals and steers clear of raiding businesses might help the labor market’s loss of workers.—
Matt Peterson,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Besetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besetting. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
