1
as in blockading
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 plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to
a family besieged by worries about the faltering economy
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3
as in petitioning
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 besieging
Israel tried to take over Gaza City before in this war, besieging it and launching raids in its streets, but tens of thousands of people remained.
—
Aya Batrawy, NPR, 5 Sep. 2025
And while politicians know that there are costs to besieging an independent central bank – financial markets may react negatively or inflation may flare up – short-term control of a powerful policy tool can prove irresistible.
—Ana Carolina Garriga, The Conversation, 26 Aug. 2025
Also great for very, very expensively besieging castles.
—Evan Ackermanerico Guizzo, IEEE Spectrum, 29 Jan. 2016
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besieging
Verb
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Witnesses report that other vehicles besides Good's were blockading unmarked immigration agent vehicles with their emergency LED lights activated.—
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But others describe the reality of the early weeks, where discussion was completely hampered by Israel's insistence on fully blockading aid into Gaza.—
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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About 1,000 companies are petitioning the court to scrap the tariffs.—
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In court documents petitioning for Reed-Bell to be held in pre-trial detention, prosecutors said the shooting was motivated by jealousy, with the altercation that led to Miller’s death being prompted by Miller spending time with Reed-Bell’s girlfriend.—
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?—
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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Those in charge — as in charge as anybody can be with every policy just a judge’s ruling away from being null and void — have been begging Congress for help for years, but to no avail.—
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His parents also pleaded with him to drop the weapon while begging the cops not to shoot their son.—
Verb
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For two days, Chinese warships and aircraft simulated a blockade of the global chip hub with live-fire exercises encircling the main island, while dozens of rockets struck waters near its northern and eastern ends on Tuesday.—
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Live-fire activities would take place in five maritime and airspace zones encircling the island on Tuesday, according to information released by the command.—
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.—
Cite this Entry
“Besieging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besieging. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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