1
as in blockaded
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 plagued
to cause persistent suffering to
a family besieged by worries about the faltering economy
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3
as in petitioned
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 besieged
The Windy City is suddenly besieged by a string of bomb threats, but in the midst of all the false alarms, a real situation emerges in the form of military-grade smoke grenades, which points to a terrorist threat.
—
Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Jan. 2026
Halladay said she’s heard from multiple doctors, including her child’s pediatrician, that they’ve been besieged with calls from parents hoping to get a prescription.
—Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 19 Dec. 2025
International climate diplomacy, since its high-water mark at Paris, in 2015, has been besieged by the fossil-fuel industry and its proxy governments, which now include, of course, the United States, historically the Earth’s chief producer of CO2.
—Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2025
Haiti, the soccer-loving Caribbean nation that has been besieged by gang violence and economic instability, learned on Friday which teams will be in its group for the 2026 World Cup.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Dec. 2025
Pirro pushed back and went on to reiterate the Administration’s support for the deployments, characterizing the city as besieged by violent crime.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2025
Vikings quarterbacks have been besieged by injury this year.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
That's the capital of North Darfur that was besieged for 500 days.
—ABC News, 9 Nov. 2025
For more than a year, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has besieged El Fasher, its final major barrier to controlling Darfur.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 7 Jan. 2026
Halladay said she’s heard from multiple doctors, including her child’s pediatrician, that they’ve been besieged with calls from parents hoping to get a prescription.
—Tom Bartlett, The Atlantic, 19 Dec. 2025
International climate diplomacy, since its high-water mark at Paris, in 2015, has been besieged by the fossil-fuel industry and its proxy governments, which now include, of course, the United States, historically the Earth’s chief producer of CO2.
—Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 9 Dec. 2025
Haiti, the soccer-loving Caribbean nation that has been besieged by gang violence and economic instability, learned on Friday which teams will be in its group for the 2026 World Cup.
—Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 6 Dec. 2025
Pirro pushed back and went on to reiterate the Administration’s support for the deployments, characterizing the city as besieged by violent crime.
—Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 27 Nov. 2025
Vikings quarterbacks have been besieged by injury this year.
—Jordan Sigler, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2025
That's the capital of North Darfur that was besieged for 500 days.
—ABC News, 9 Nov. 2025
For more than a year, the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has besieged El Fasher, its final major barrier to controlling Darfur.
—Nimi Princewill, CNN Money, 28 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besieged
Verb
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At first, Israel blockaded Gaza entirely, against the United States’ wishes.—
Andrew P. Miller,
Foreign Affairs,
5 Dec. 2025
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In recent weeks, JNIM has effectively blockaded Bamako, targeting critical fuel convoys and supply lines.—
Tom O'Connor,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Nov. 2025
Verb
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But the hospital has been plagued by security issues in the last few years, and a contract dispute with the nurses’ union.—
Joe Battenfeld,
Boston Herald,
8 Jan. 2026
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Commentary and opinions Tim Walz isn’t the only governor plagued by fraud.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Attorney Brian Steele, who represents the rapper, had petitioned the court with the argument that the state did not hold a civil forfeiture hearing within the 60-day time limit.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
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Placer family court records show Dupree’s former fiancee in December 2021 petitioned and received a domestic violence restraining order against the former police officer.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Rabbi Perry Nussbaum, the congregation’s leader from the 1950s to the 70s, supported civil rights activists and helped found an interracial group of clergy to help rebuild Black churches attacked by white supremacists, according to the institute.—
Zoe Sottile,
CNN Money,
13 Jan. 2026
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And, the dog attacked again after the owner failed to secure the dog in a separate room.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Surrounding trees, however, were not afflicted.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Jan. 2026
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Support for Bass is more mixed, with her current record containing many more failures than have afflicted either Lurie or any other recent Los Angeles mayor.—
Thomas D. Elias,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Aamir Tinwala, a middle-schooler living through pandemic isolation, begged his parents for a pet.—
Ruby Mellen,
Washington Post,
10 Jan. 2026
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As a kid in Rochester, New York, Kane begged his parents for a dollar to play.—
Anna Rahmanan,
thehustle.co,
9 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Original concepts include mazes set in a demonic version of the Old West, a life-sized toybox full of twisted dolls and a frozen Northern town beleaguered by monsters.—
Julie Tremaine,
Forbes.com,
28 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Open Doors is a global Christian charity supporting Christians persecuted for their faith.—
Paul Tilsley,
FOXNews.com,
28 Dec. 2025
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Most commonly, people felt they were being persecuted via their electronics – that their Wi-Fi networks, computers or cellphones had been hacked or implanted with tracking devices.—
Alaina Vandervoort Burns,
The Conversation,
17 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Besieged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besieged. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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