verb
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to trouble persistently; harass
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to lay siege to
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of beleaguer
Explanation
Beleaguer means to pester or badger with persistence. A babysitter might find annoying the children who beleaguer her with requests for candy, cookies, games, and piggyback rides all at the same time. Beleaguer originally meant to lay siege to, and originates from a 16th century Dutch term which meant to camp all around. It was not until later that beleaguer came to mean harass or bother in a determined way. Remember that there is a league in the middle of be-league-r and the spelling will be easy.
Vocabulary lists containing beleaguer
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"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, Part Four
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Beleaguer /biˈlēɡər/ verb: to cause constant or repeated trouble for a person, business, etc.
From Time • Jul. 27, 2015
I have read, in the marvelous heart of man, That strange and mystic scroll, That an army of phantoms vast and wan Beleaguer the human soul.
From The Land of Song, Book II For lower grammar grades by Various
I heard the sound of seas Beleaguer earth, I heard the roaring trees Singing together.
From Helen Redeemed and Other Poems by Hewlett, Maurice Henry
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
