1
as in encircles
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in persecutes
to cause persistent suffering to
a family besieged by worries about the faltering economy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in begs
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besieges
Verb
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Instead, a bright ring of sunlight encircles the moon's silhouette, often called a 'ring of fire'.—
Daisy Dobrijevic,
Space.com,
20 Feb. 2026 -
The trail encircles a large, ADA-accessible playground and also provides views of the South Bend skyline.—
Erika Ebsworth-Goold,
Midwest Living,
4 Jan. 2026
Verb
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China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
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In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.—
Stephen Kotkin,
Foreign Affairs,
16 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Stephen then begs Lucy to leave with him, only to abandon her on the side of the road.—
Olivia Truffaut-Wong,
Vulture,
17 Feb. 2026
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Look for a location with spring weather that begs for time on patios, in the pool, on the golf course, pedaling on a bike, or soaking up beauty on or along the water.—
Karla Walsh,
Southern Living,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The third mayoral candidate, Mike Liebelson, is largely self-funded, and attacks both rivals for accepting money from developers and other special interests.—
Steve Bousquet,
Sun Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
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In April 2025, Dane announced he had been diagnosed with ALS, a progressive disease that attacks nerve cells controlling muscles throughout the body.—
Maria Sherman,
Fortune,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Notably from a distribution standpoint, Double Vision’s sister production services business will assist with everything from music clearances – something that plagues many microdrama makers – and format bibles to localization services and local productions in key markets.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
22 Feb. 2026
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The damned disease especially plagues Mexican American men like me, and many aren’t getting screened.—
Gustavo Arellano,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Road blockades, traffic slowdowns and other protests were widespread – from the southern port city of Marseille to Lille and Caen in the north, and from Nantes and Rennes in the west to Grenoble and Lyon in the southeast.—
Greg Norman,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In other words, a sort of onanism of the soul afflicts him.—
Hermione Hoby,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
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The disease afflicts individuals as well as corporate entities.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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So everyone crosses their fingers, hopes mostly for good health and then prays that an extended late season break doesn’t derail the momentum the Stars have managed to create in the last 10 days.—
Tim Cowlishaw,
Dallas Morning News,
3 Feb. 2026
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Instead, the 26-year-old gets ready, journals, prays and reads.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
27 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Besieges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besieges. Accessed 27 Feb. 2026.
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