1
as in blockading
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 plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
a family besieged by worries about the faltering economy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in petitioning
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 besieging
Israel tried to take over Gaza City before in this war, besieging it and launching raids in its streets, but tens of thousands of people remained.
—
Aya Batrawy, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025
And while politicians know that there are costs to besieging an independent central bank – financial markets may react negatively or inflation may flare up – short-term control of a powerful policy tool can prove irresistible.
—Ana Carolina Garriga, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2025
Also great for very, very expensively besieging castles.
—Evan Ackermanerico Guizzo, IEEE Spectrum, 29 Jan. 2016
Aya Batrawy, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025
And while politicians know that there are costs to besieging an independent central bank – financial markets may react negatively or inflation may flare up – short-term control of a powerful policy tool can prove irresistible.
—Ana Carolina Garriga, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2025
Also great for very, very expensively besieging castles.
—Evan Ackermanerico Guizzo, IEEE Spectrum, 29 Jan. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besieging
Verb
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On Thursday, though, Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf – who is leading negotiations for Tehran and has emerged as the key voice of the Iranian government – ridiculed the notion of blockading Iran, pointing to the country’s extensive land and maritime borders.—
Nic Robertson,
CNN Money,
1 May 2026
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The al-Qaida linked JNIM group — Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin — has expanded in recent years, seizing vast swaths of territory and recently blockading off Bamako from fuel shipments.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The incident is the latest is a string of burglaries and break-ins plaguing San Fernando Valley residents since the start of April.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
30 Apr. 2026
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Pablo Escobar's reign of terror didn't end with his death and continues today in the form of a horde of hippos plaguing the Colombian countryside.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Several European nations, including Spain, Italy, and Portugal, are also petitioning the EU to revive a windfall tax system last imposed in 2022 during the early days of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
28 Apr. 2026
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Some Russians this week risked their freedom by petitioning authorities to lift restrictions.—
Semafor Events,
semafor.com,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Fitz also has some stiff competition in the attacking midfield.—
Andy Greder,
Twin Cities,
7 May 2026
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Trump and his allies are attacking democracy itself, from the rights to protest and exist freely to the rights to fair jobs and livable wages.—
Lucas Robinson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 May 2026
Verb
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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
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It was most recently extended in August 2024 for 18 months by the Biden administration, which cited economic, security, political and health crises afflicting the Caribbean nation.—
Caitlin Yilek,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The deck space is bliss for morning coffee moments, and the firepit is begging for s’mores.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
1 May 2026
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My friend has been begging me to go on a trip together for over a year now.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
1 May 2026
Verb
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Existing storage facilities within Beijing’s Sixth Ring Road—an encircling expressway about 15 to 20 miles from the city center—are limited to storing a maximum of three drones or 10 core components while also being required to undergo police inspections.—
Jeremy Hsu,
ArsTechnica,
30 Apr. 2026
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Curve around the city on the Trout Run Trail, an 11-mile asphalt loop encircling the historic downtown.—
Sarah Miller,
Midwest Living,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Saddam towered over Iraq’s political regime for nearly 30 years, plunging the country into multiple destructive wars, persecuting his own citizens and inflicting widespread trauma and suffering.—
David Faris,
TheWeek,
24 Apr. 2026
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The order also accused the Cuban government of persecuting political opponents, suppressing free speech and the press, and committing other human rights violations—actions that have been documented by human rights organizations over the years.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
17 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Besieging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besieging. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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