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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2
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
a family besieged by worries about the faltering economy
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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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Recent Examples of besiege
San Francisco’s Animal Care and Control was besieged with calls about the dangerous encounters with the problematic Crissy Field animal.
—
Heather Knight, New York Times, 19 May 2025
In its 18-month campaign in Gaza, Israel has stood out by carrying out an open campaign on hospitals, besieging and raiding them, some several times, as well as hitting multiple others in strikes while accusing Hamas of using them as cover for its fighters.
—Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
The construction is about halfway complete, according to the former president's foundation, but it has been besieged by significant delays and has gone well over budget.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 7 May 2025
Ellie’s gets bitten After fleeing the TV station and killing two Wolves in a remixed turn of events, Ellie and Dina find themselves in a subway tunnel besieged by both WLF and infected.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for besiege
Heather Knight, New York Times, 19 May 2025
In its 18-month campaign in Gaza, Israel has stood out by carrying out an open campaign on hospitals, besieging and raiding them, some several times, as well as hitting multiple others in strikes while accusing Hamas of using them as cover for its fighters.
—Samy Magdy, Chicago Tribune, 13 Apr. 2025
The construction is about halfway complete, according to the former president's foundation, but it has been besieged by significant delays and has gone well over budget.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA Today, 7 May 2025
Ellie’s gets bitten After fleeing the TV station and killing two Wolves in a remixed turn of events, Ellie and Dina find themselves in a subway tunnel besieged by both WLF and infected.
—Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 5 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for besiege
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besiege
Verb
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The pathogen is known as Fusarium graminearum, which can attack wheat, barley, maize and rice and sicken livestock and people, the FBI said in a court filing in Detroit.—
Ed White,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2025
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Her dad drove to Boulder to attack the protest three days later, according to investigators.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
4 June 2025
Verb
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Inside a Palm Beach County courtroom, Judge Kathleen Kroll is trying to tackle a problem that has plagued Florida schools in recent years: An alarming number of students aren’t showing up for school.—
Scott Travis,
Sun Sentinel,
5 June 2025
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The wallet aims to solve cross-border payment challenges that have long plagued African creators.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
5 June 2025
Verb
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Over the course of his prolific, three-decade career, the American filmmaker has established a signature aesthetic and working style that could convince any actor to beg him for a part — almost any actor.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
5 June 2025
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But when your 3-year-old is begging for it, concentrate on your kid’s joy instead of dreaming of force feeding a cold pizza of gravel and gnats to that singer. 5.—
Chris John Amorosino,
Hartford Courant,
4 June 2025
Verb
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If the United States reduces its economic reliance on Taiwanese semiconductors, for instance, Beijing might decide that Washington won’t respond if China blockades or invades the island.—
ALLISON CARNEGIE,
Foreign Affairs,
14 May 2025
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But its navy controlled enough of the Black Sea to blockade Ukrainian ports, choking the country’s economy and threatening global food security because Ukraine is a major grain exporter.—
Constant Méheut,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Violent crime, meanwhile, is a scourge afflicting every community.—
Sizwe Mpofu Walsh,
Time,
23 May 2025
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Cucumbers are also susceptible to powdery mildew, a problem that afflicts many zinnias.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
22 May 2025
Verb
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If a lot goes unused for seventy-five years, the cemetery can petition to reclaim it.—
Paige Williams,
New Yorker,
2 June 2025
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After one of the last attempts before Dawn’s death, Erin petitioned the court to request that her mother be provided with psychiatric care.—
Sam Gillette,
People.com,
29 May 2025
Verb
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As of Tuesday afternoon, the fire crew successfully encircled the entire perimeter of the fire in control lines.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2025
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There are single and double cultivars offering variations on the classic yellow center encircled by white petals.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
24 May 2025
Verb
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In 1968 a Jewish Dutch woman named Selma Vos was persecuted to death along with her husband, Cao Richang, an eminent psychologist who had helped found the Institute of Psychology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.—
Nan Z. Da
June 10,
Literary Hub,
10 June 2025
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Abrego Garcia was subject to a 2019 withholding order by a judge forbidding his removal to El Salvador because of concerns he would be persecuted there.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Besiege.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besiege. Accessed 17 Jun. 2025.
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