beset
Americanverb (used with object)
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to attack on all sides; assail.
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to trouble greatly or grievously; to afflict with mental or physical suffering; harass: Even as he was being beset with disasters, he triumphed.
The best ideas are often beset by bureaucratic hurdles.
Even as he was being beset with disasters, he triumphed.
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to surround; hem in.
The village was beset on all sides by dense forest.
Our work will be beset with dangers.
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to set or place upon; bestud.
The gold bracelet she found was beset with jewels.
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Nautical. to surround (a vessel) by ice, so that control of the helm is lost.
verb
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(esp of dangers, temptations, or difficulties) to trouble or harass constantly
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to surround or attack from all sides
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archaic to cover with, esp with jewels
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have besetperfect
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has besetperfect 3rd person singular
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is besettingprogressive 3rd person singular
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has been besettingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are besettingprogressive
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besettingparticiple
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have been besettingperfect progressive
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am besettingprogressive 1st person singular
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besetssingular 3rd person
Past
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had besetperfect
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had been besettingperfect progressive
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were besettingprogressive plural
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was besettingprogressive singular
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besetsimple
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besetparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of beset
First recorded before 1000; from Middle English besetten, Old English besettan. See be-, set
Explanation
Beset means to attack from all sides — an invading army will beset a castle, or you might find yourself beset by a devastating storm. Beset also has a very different meaning: to decorate or encrust with jewels or other ornamentation. If you are attending a ball, you may choose a gown that is beset with silver sequins, just be careful that you don't end up looking like a giant disco ball.
Vocabulary lists containing beset
Beowulf
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"Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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.
But the multi-billion-dollar programme was beset by disagreements between the firms involved -- France's Dassault Aviation and Airbus, which represents Germany and Spain.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
Bass was also beset with challenges, being an incumbent in a city beset with problems.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 7, 2026
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez on Friday distanced himself from an alleged plot to sabotage investigations into his entourage and Socialist party that has intensified pressure on a government already beset by legal woes.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
Housing is an area of particular focus for Mr. Lindsey, since he rightfully notes that it is beset by bad regulations and high prices that inhibit family formation.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
We are still beset by plain diseases, and we do not control them; they are loose on their own, afflicting us unpredictably and haphazardly.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
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.
