as in obsessive
caused by or suggestive of an irresistible urge
that woman's besetting need to meddle in the affairs of others
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
he's been beset by a lack of self-confidence virtually his entire life
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacking
to take sudden, violent action against
the unsuspecting tourists were suddenly beset by robbers
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of besetting
Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2025
Verb
To his sons, however, the Party offers meaning and purpose—a powerful countervailing force to the lack of prospects besetting their generation, which had been decimated by the Great War.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for besetting
Adjective
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Extreme deficits may lead to obsessive food tracking, anxiety around eating, or disordered eating patterns.—
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Any new publication of hers is mandatory reading, and not just because transgender Americans are under an obsessive, incessant series of assaults from the current administration and the right more broadly.—
Verb
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Both cases are apt to serve as models for how to prevent the kind of school shootings still plaguing the nation and could set legal precedent for who shoulders the blame when children have access to guns and open fire on campus.—
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The Live With Kelly and Mark talk show hostess seemingly hasn't known peace on the scariest day of the year for quite some time, but not because of ghosts and ghoulies plaguing her — but, rather, ungrateful neighbors who consistently complain about her Halloween candy.—
Verb
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Obstructing, impeding, or attacking federal law enforcement is a federal crime.—
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What now is the difference between the United States attacking Venezuela in order to install new leadership and Russia invading Ukraine to effect annexation and leadership change?—
Adjective
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Instead of impulsive moves, energy goes toward goals that require patience and endurance.—
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That fear can contribute to impulsive decisions, overtrading, and emotional fatigue - outcomes sometimes interpreted as personal failure rather than a response to the way risk is structured.—
Verb
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Other geopolitical threats afflicting OPEC+ nations continue to simmer.—
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The Canadian national conscience is rightly troubled by the serious social problems afflicting Indigenous Canada.—
Verb
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The suspect was later federally charged with assaulting a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.—
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She was charged with assaulting a federal officer, but federal prosecutors later dismissed the case after security camera video and body camera footage emerged showing a Border Patrol agent steering his vehicle into Martinez’s truck.—
Verb
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Trump has repeatedly alleged that the South African government is actively persecuting white citizens, particularly farmers.—
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The former human-rights lawyer entered on a tourist visa and filed for political asylum in October of that year, claiming the governments that succeeded Correa were persecuting him.—
Verb
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People were raiding stores and so forth.—
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The biggest compliment is that teams are raiding Brentford.—
Cite this Entry
“Besetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besetting. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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