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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
a family besieged by worries about the faltering economy
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of besiege
When news circulated about the gathering, Temple Emanu-El was besieged with inquiries from the local media.
—
Joshua M. Davidson, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
The interview takes a bad turn when the Ralph Lauren office building is besieged by the tabloid mob.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
But the regime, besieged by insurrections across the country, abandoned Manbij.
—Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
The Kings, who snapped a franchise-record 16-game losing streak with Monday’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies, have been besieged by injuries this season.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for besiege
Joshua M. Davidson, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026
The interview takes a bad turn when the Ralph Lauren office building is besieged by the tabloid mob.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Mar. 2026
But the regime, besieged by insurrections across the country, abandoned Manbij.
—Anand Gopal, New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2026
The Kings, who snapped a franchise-record 16-game losing streak with Monday’s win over the Memphis Grizzlies, have been besieged by injuries this season.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for besiege
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besiege
Verb
-
Meanwhile, supporters insist their goal is not to attack a student, but to defend women’s sports.—
Alejandro Avila OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
-
Both sides accuse the other of intentionally attacking civilian targets.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Despite that underlying tension, kids play on the street outside while the large family has a dynamic like any other — noisily squabbling, joking, or in the case of the matriarchal grandmother, Mariam (Hiam Abbass), preparing a meal in a kitchen plagued by constant utility outages.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
15 May 2026
-
That's still an incredible class, especially considering the doldrums that have plagued the UCLA football program for the past decade plus.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Adonis yells as Gillis begs him to pull over.—
Alejandra Gularte,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
-
Beyond a few days with warmer temperatures, the real sign that spring has arrived is when my nose starts to run, my throat begins to itch, and my eyes are begging for eye drops every morning.—
Carly Totten,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Iran still has a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway where a fifth of the world’s oil passed through before the war, and America is blockading Iranian ports.—
Sheikh Saaliq,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2026
-
Iran still has a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway where a fifth of the world's oil passed through before the war, and America is blockading Iranian ports.—
SHEIKH SAALIQ,
Arkansas Online,
16 May 2026
Verb
-
Cholera, a waterborne bacterial disease, has unleashed a perilous wave across southern Africa, with active outbreaks currently afflicting five countries in southern and central Africa.—
John Drake,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2026
-
Nelson’s grandmother was afflicted with dementia at the time of first reading the novel while Miller Rogen’s mother was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer’s at just 55 years old.—
Diana Lodderhose,
Deadline,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
In October, 2024, Yotam Ben-Hillel, an Israeli human-rights lawyer, petitioned Israel’s Supreme Court on behalf of a coalition of international aid groups in an effort to force the Israeli government to address the situation.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
-
In August 2025, Broward County Circuit Court Judge Marlon Weiss ruled on a case of two men living in France who petitioned for early parental rights while their gestational carrier was pregnant.—
Ann Marie Luft,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
This year’s flights encircle the country and include loitering patterns, those in 2025 appear to just pass by, Ian Petchenik of Flightradrar24 told USA TODAY.—
Ramon Padilla,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
-
By using drones to interdict supply lines from a distance, Ukrainian forces can impose the effects of a siege without physically encircling a city, redefining how an opponent can be isolated in modern warfare.—
Vikram Mittal,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
My parents were supporters of the anti-apartheid movement and various family members were persecuted for being so also.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
14 May 2026
-
When hunted, poisoned, and persecuted, the coyotes scattered and regrouped, their numbers surging a hundred-fold.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Besiege.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besiege. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
