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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The Russell-Brasstown Scenic Byway is a looped route, one that meanders through the Chattahoochee National Forest and encircles the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Oct. 2025 -
Each element encircles a central void, which Robertson describes as symbolic thresholds–portals between identities, spaces, and ideas.—
Lee Sharrock,
Forbes.com,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Okay, so David, that begs two follow up questions for me.—
Fortune Editors,
Fortune,
1 Oct. 2025
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This ceramic cookie jar shaped like a Christmas tree or gingerbread house instantly transports us back to Grandma’s house around the holidays, with colorful, nostalgic charm that just begs to sit on your countertop.—
Abigail Wilt,
Southern Living,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The monkey’s genitals are burned with a candle, and it is placed in a cage with a mongoose, which attacks it.—
Kevin Grasha,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
1 Oct. 2025
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But together a picture emerges of a long-standing movement eager to stop anyone who attacks a principle or personality its adherents hold dear.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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His voice already had that staticky, far-away quality that plagues international calls, which made Nakia fear he was gone for good.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
16 Sep. 2025
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Everything that plagues Chicago also plagues America.—
Heidi Stevens,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Aug. 2025
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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Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease caused by a virus that primarily and most severely afflicts children.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
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Although there have been recent breakthroughs in the treatment of Alzheimer’s, no medication has succeeded in stopping or reversing the disease that afflicts more than 7 million Americans, a number projected to reach almost 13 million by 2050, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.—
The Washington Post,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Jimmy Kimmel prays every night to garner a fraction of that support to keep his show on air after ratings dropped 64% last week.—
Michael Nied,
PEOPLE,
7 Oct. 2025
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Jimmy Kimmel prays every night to garner a fraction of that support to keep his show on air after ratings dropped 64 percent last week.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Besieges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besieges. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.
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