1
as in to attack
to surround (as a fortified place) with armed forces for the purpose of capturing or preventing commerce and communication
armies besieged the city for six months before it finally surrendered
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
a family besieged by worries about the faltering economy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to beg
to make a request to (someone) in an earnest or urgent manner
bereaved parents continued to besiege the president with pleas to end the war
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of besiege
But the regime, besieged by insurrections across the country, abandoned Manbij.
—
Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
The Kings, who snapped a franchise-record 16-game losing streak with Monday’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies, have been besieged by injuries this season.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 25 Feb. 2026
The operation goes awry when one of the Black Hawk helicopters is brought down and its crew, including Durant (Ron Eldard), killed or besieged.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 24 Feb. 2026
Destruction in Mariupol At the start of the war, Russian forces besieged Mariupol before the port city fell in May 2022.
—Yuras Karmanau, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for besiege
Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
The Kings, who snapped a franchise-record 16-game losing streak with Monday’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies, have been besieged by injuries this season.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 25 Feb. 2026
The operation goes awry when one of the Black Hawk helicopters is brought down and its crew, including Durant (Ron Eldard), killed or besieged.
—David Faris, TheWeek, 24 Feb. 2026
Destruction in Mariupol At the start of the war, Russian forces besieged Mariupol before the port city fell in May 2022.
—Yuras Karmanau, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for besiege
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besiege
Verb
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In fact, the Sixers will be better equipped to attack this Knicks flaw if Embiid can return at any point in the series.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
7 May 2026
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In one of the evening’s most striking moments, Raman accused Bass and Pratt of working together to attack her.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Anti-gang units, officials say, form the backbone of the department’s crime fighting efforts in neighborhoods plagued by gang violence.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
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Orlando trailed Miami 3-0 early, plagued by the same defensive lapses that have defined its season so far.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Several visiting unaffiliated curators, who would not go on the record for this story with quotes, begged for more cohesion.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
8 May 2026
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Most regular folks, including the thousands of fans streaming into Quail Hollow Thursday, would beg to differ.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Iran has blockaded the key sea lane for weeks now, triggering the biggest oil supply disruption in history.—
Spencer Kimball,Justina Lee,
CNBC,
4 May 2026
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The Strait of Hormuz is blockaded.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
3 May 2026
Verb
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In 1602, she was afflicted by a slew of symptoms, such as convulsions, fits, and terrors.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
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And so what was once out of bounds continued to move within the Pale, and a scourge went on afflicting politicians and groypers and, yes, comedians alike.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The record had been under seal for around seven years before the New York Times petitioned for its release last month.—
Shirsho Dasgupta
Updated May 6,
Miami Herald,
7 May 2026
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Whether Sorsby will petition the NFL to hold a supplemental draft this summer and whether the NFL would agree are unknowns.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Starting in 1946, however, the Queen Mother opted to wear a large pearl ring instead, also encircled by diamonds.—
Ilana Frost,
PEOPLE,
9 May 2026
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Police then encircled the shooter, who used one more bullet on himself.—
The Denver Post Editorial Board,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Individuals with Jewish heritage through their father or a grandparent sometimes identified as Jewish or were persecuted for their Jewish heritage, as was the case under the Nazi regime.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Apr. 2026
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Walker, however, agreed with the majority that the president cannot deport migrants to countries where they will be persecuted or strip them of mandatory procedures that protect against their removal.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
25 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Besiege.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besiege. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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