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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to plague
to cause persistent suffering to
a family besieged by worries about the faltering economy
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of besiege
Four years ago, on January 6, 2021, thousands of Trump’s supporters galvanized by conspiracy theories about the 2020 election, came to DC and besieged the Capitol with the goal of preventing the peaceful transfer of power.
—
Tess Owen, WIRED, 20 Jan. 2025
Sacramento County firefighters have joined fight against devastating fires besieging Southern California.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 8 Jan. 2025
Alawites have become a community besieged, set to be excluded — if not persecuted — by the Sunni political class now in ascendance.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2025
Russian field armies are besieging the city of Pokrvosk just south of Kurdyumivka and also besieging the city of Chasiv Yar north of Kurdyumivka.
—David Axe, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for besiege
Tess Owen, WIRED, 20 Jan. 2025
Sacramento County firefighters have joined fight against devastating fires besieging Southern California.
—Darrell Smith, Sacramento Bee, 8 Jan. 2025
Alawites have become a community besieged, set to be excluded — if not persecuted — by the Sunni political class now in ascendance.
—Nabih Bulos, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2025
Russian field armies are besieging the city of Pokrvosk just south of Kurdyumivka and also besieging the city of Chasiv Yar north of Kurdyumivka.
—David Axe, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for besiege
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besiege
Verb
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Despite losing all three, there were significant improvements collectively and individually, with contributions from attacking starlets Nico Paz, who scored against Atalanta, and Diao, who got the equaliser against Juventus.—
David Ferrini,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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The case, which generated headlines around the world, comes amid rising hostility against Muslims and Palestinians in the U.S. since Hamas attacked Israel in October 2023.—
Sophia Tareen and Melissa Perez Winder,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Also Read ‘Becoming Led Zeppelin’ Doc Soars into Wide Release Osbourne, 76, has been plagued with health problems since his last proper concerts in 2018 and is currently unable to walk.—
SPIN Staff,
SPIN,
17 Feb. 2025
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Like many police departments across the country, RPD has been plagued by a large number of unfilled positions since the pandemic and the wider cultural response to George Floyd's killing in Minneapolis.—
Zachery Eanes,
Axios,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The hauntingly familiar sight of a crash like this once again begs questions about the safety of these next-gen cars.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
17 Feb. 2025
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Some ship only overnight and beg you to eat their bonbons within a few days of receipt.—
Matthew Korfhage,
WIRED,
15 Feb. 2025
Verb
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If China blockades or invades Taiwan, the short-term economic disruptions to the United States and its allies would be large enough to rival the losses caused by a broad decoupling.—
Stephen G. Brooks,
Foreign Affairs,
20 Feb. 2025
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Some protesters have been blockading key roads in major cities, as well as occupying dozens of university facilities.—
ByNenad Jarić Daunhauer,
science.org,
12 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Egg prices have jumped to all-time highs due in part to an outbreak of avian flu, or bird flu, that has been afflicting egg-laying hens in the US since 2022.—
Jennifer Hauser,
CNN,
28 Feb. 2025
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This, in turn, led to waves of protest and a series of arsons that afflicted 24 churches over the next two years.—
The Editors,
National Review,
28 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Few medieval women had the chutzpah to petition a court for past dues, much less the pope’s.—
Joelle Rollo-Koster,
The Conversation,
25 Feb. 2025
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Fortunately, some members of Congress petitioned Energy Secretary Chris Wright to rehire the workers, and most were reinstated once they could be found, despite having had their telephones cut off.—
Clarence Page,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Other ska-adjacent U.K. bands—Madness, the Beat, the Selecter—made a beeline for 2 Tone, and the reverberations would eventually encircle the globe.—
Ian Penman,
Harper's Magazine,
19 Feb. 2025
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Although dark, thick liner encircled her lash line, her lipstick was a more muted, peach-toned nude.—
India Espy-Jones,
Essence,
14 Feb. 2025
Verb
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After the war broke out, Lina insisted on helping shield the persecuted – Jews and Roma, among them – at great risk.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
24 Feb. 2025
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According to court records, two plaintiffs fled Afghanistan due to fears that the Taliban might persecute them over their support for the United States.—
Peter Charalambous,
ABC News,
21 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Besiege.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besiege. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
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