besetting 1 of 2

adjective

bi-ˈse-tiŋ How to pronounce besetting (audio)
Definition of besettingnext
as in obsessive
caused by or suggestive of an irresistible urge that woman's besetting need to meddle in the affairs of others

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

besetting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of beset
1
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to he's been beset by a lack of self-confidence virtually his entire life

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacking
to take sudden, violent action against the unsuspecting tourists were suddenly beset by robbers

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for besetting
  1. obsessive
  2. attacking
  3. impulsive
  4. afflicting
  5. assaulting
Adjective
  • Quezada is diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder.
    Berkeley Lovelace Jr., NBC News, 1 Nov. 2024
  • On the other hand, love styles such as Ludus— the game-playing, non-committal love style— and Mania, the obsessive love style, undermine relationship quality and stability due to the negative relationship behavior involved.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024
Definition of obsessive
Verb
  • Some of the Israeli fans added to the tensions, Holla said, by attacking a taxi Wednesday as well as a Palestinian flag.
    Corky Siemaszko, NBC News, 8 Nov. 2024
  • The new boss quickly set about completely overhauling the team and their approach, instilling an aggressive, attacking mindset which had been sorely lacking in previous seasons.
    Adam Digby, Forbes, 21 Oct. 2024
Definition of attacking
Adjective
  • Both are forces of nature — Bug in an impulsive sense and Bird in a more literal manner that hints of something otherworldly about his existence.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
  • The dread of impulsive and cataclysmic decisions in a second Trump term and thousands of federal appointments based on fealty and ideology rather than competence is met on the other side by fears that Vice President Harris won’t make meaningful personnel changes or any new or different decisions.
    Ryan Craig, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
Definition of impulsive
Verb
  • Whatever's afflicting you out there, in here the coffee is always hot, the fries are always crispy and the ranch dip is always free.
    Tyler Buchanan, Axios, 18 Oct. 2024
  • Something is genuinely off about the goings-on at the conference, from strange deaths and elevators that suddenly aren’t elevators, to a rash of scabby infections afflicting guests and the discovery of a subterranean tunnel.
    Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024
Definition of afflicting
Verb
  • In the second case in less than a week of Combs assaulting a minor, the more than half a dozen new civil cases from three woman and four men are seeking unspecified damages.
    Dominic Patten, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2024
  • According to a citation from the University of Kentucky Police Department, an officer responded to the residence hall for a report of a woman assaulting staff members.
    Quinlan Bentley, The Enquirer, 18 Oct. 2024
Definition of assaulting
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near besetting

besets

besetting

beshrew

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Besetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besetting. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on besetting

Nglish: Translation of besetting for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of besetting for Arabic Speakers

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