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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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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Recent Examples of besiege
Indeed, at a time when tropical forests and grasslands are besieged by farming, mining, and other threats, birdwatching tourism offers a real incentive to keep ecosystems intact.
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Benji Jones, Vox, 4 Dec. 2024
In the film, Lourdes Mansilla stars as a rebellious teenage girl whose family is besieged by the devil himself.
—Jamie Lang, Variety, 2 Dec. 2024
Homer wasn’t fooling around: those who aid the beggar are rewarded, those who mistreat him—the loutish suitors who have long besieged Penelope—are killed.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 22 Nov. 2024
Airlines have been besieged by unruly passengers this year, the FAA said, citing roughly 1,700 incidents to date.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for besiege 
Benji Jones, Vox, 4 Dec. 2024
In the film, Lourdes Mansilla stars as a rebellious teenage girl whose family is besieged by the devil himself.
—Jamie Lang, Variety, 2 Dec. 2024
Homer wasn’t fooling around: those who aid the beggar are rewarded, those who mistreat him—the loutish suitors who have long besieged Penelope—are killed.
—Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 22 Nov. 2024
Airlines have been besieged by unruly passengers this year, the FAA said, citing roughly 1,700 incidents to date.
—Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for besiege
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besiege
Verb
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Governments around the world have trained eagles to attack unmanned aircraft.Jessica Guynn, USA TODAY, 12 Dec. 2024
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According to police reports, Sloan attacked fellow student Mara Daffron before class, puncturing Daffron's spleen.Mary Jo Pitzl, The Arizona Republic, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Karlsson is starting to eliminate the bad decisions that plagued him during the season’s first month.Josh Yohe, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024
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Saudi Arabia was confirmed as the host of the 2034 World Cup, a controversial move as all eyes turn to its human rights record and concerns following migrant worker abuses that plagued Qatar’s 2022 World Cup.Danielle Chemtob, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
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With fans begging for the Ngannou vs. Jones bout, Davis speaks on what imaginary hurdles are present that are keeping this fight from occurring.Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024
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That, of course, begged the question: Who would drive the car in 2025?Greg Engle, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Russia has also weaponized food supplies, blockading Ukraine and preventing it from exporting its abundant grain and fertilizer stocks.Fiona Hill, Foreign Affairs, 25 Aug. 2022
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Just a few months prior, Blackbeard and his small pirate flotilla had blockaded Charleston, South Carolina, for close to a week.Eli Wizevich, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Nov. 2024
Verb
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The findings, published in the journal PLOS Biology, point to innovative strategies for combating a disease that afflicts millions annually.Tom Howarth, Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2024
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The pastor asked the group to name some of the plagues that afflicted Egypt.Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 1 Dec. 2024
Verb
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In 2023, the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the opponents, halting the project, but proponents petitioned the Supreme Court to review that decision.Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
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Most of that lawsuit was thrown out after Wood petitioned for an anti-SLAPP exemption, a legal maneuver used to strike down frivolous and expensive lawsuits that can silence critics, and Manson was ordered to pay $327,000 in attorney fees.Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
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However, despite being the architects of Assad's downfall, HTS's ability to govern over Syria, filled with opposition factions and encircled by expansionist foreign powers, is far from assured.Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
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Another scene involves a Ukrainian drone unit defending another village, mostly without infantry support, encircled by Russian troops.Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 27 Nov. 2024
Verb
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Like Oya and Elphaba, Céline tells her story from the perspective of the persecuted.Anita Kopacz, People.com, 9 Dec. 2024
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Set aside the fact that Trump never persecuted his political enemies during his first term, including Hilary Clinton.Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near besiege
Cite this Entry
“Besiege.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besiege. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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