1
as in encircles
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 persecutes
to cause persistent suffering to
a family besieged by worries about the faltering economy
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3
as in begs
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besieges
Verb
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The trail encircles a large, ADA-accessible playground and also provides views of the South Bend skyline.—
Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Midwest Living, 4 Jan. 2026
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Many travelers choose to explore the area via the Ring of Kerry, the scenic drive that encircles the peninsula.—
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In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.—
Verb
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Chelsea’s appointment of Liam Rosenior is at least understandable in terms of his work within the BlueCo network, which begs the question of why Ratcliffe’s own multi-club operation could not provide United with a wider network to tap into.—
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Hopper begs her to believe there is another way.—
Verb
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According to the Hindu, local eyewitnesses have said that the elephant attacks mostly at night while people are sleeping, and residents have been using firecrackers and patrol teams to keep the animal away from heavily populated areas.—
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Russia attacks Ukraine with new Oreshnik ballistic missile Russia attacked Ukraine overnight with a new hypersonic ballistic missile, an advanced weapon capable of carrying a nuclear warhead.—
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So while so much of this matchup is strength versus strength, what might matter most is which team’s weakness plagues them the least.—
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Cinnamon has been widely touted as a cure-all for anything that plagues the garden.—
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Road blockades, traffic slowdowns and other protests were widespread – from the southern port city of Marseille to Lille and Caen in the north, and from Nantes and Rennes in the west to Grenoble and Lyon in the southeast.—
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Furthermore, regulatory sclerosis afflicts housing and infrastructure.—
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Violence provided a solution but also birthed the recurring dilemma that afflicts African states today.—
Verb
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And a poet prays words still matter.—
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My father prays to the God of his upbringing and begs the Holy Father to disappear my grandfather.—
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Cite this Entry
“Besieges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besieges. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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