beleaguered

[ bih-lee-gerd ]

adjective

1. surrounded by military forces; besieged:

   The beleaguered city of Limerick, having stood to the last, finally capitulated to the forces of William of Orange.

2. beset, surrounded, or overburdened by troubles:

   Restoring our beleaguered oceans to health will require an emphasis on diversification and conservation, and more sensible fishing practices.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of beleaguer ( def ).

Word History and Origins

Origin of beleaguered¹

beleaguer ( def ) + -ed ²( def )

Example Sentences

Lohse and his beleaguered fellow pledges were, he claims, forced to chug vinegar and to dine on the dreaded “vomlet.”

From The Daily Beast

At the time, last March, the then-46-year-old Omidyar was being heralded as a patron saint of the financially beleaguered newsbiz.

From The Daily Beast

Outgunned and beleaguered, he says, Iraqi army units in Anbar are beginning to collapse.

From The Daily Beast

Having finally re-joined the main body of the Ukrainian forces, the beleaguered defenders of Sector D were evacuated.

From The Daily Beast

Taken together, it gives them a huge tactical advantage over the beleaguered Ukrainian armed forces.

From The Daily Beast

Groups of hundreds of non-combatants were hurrying off from the beleaguered insurgent capital.

From Project Gutenberg

Thus the sun set on Rome beleaguered, the barbarians outside the City.

From Project Gutenberg

In the meantime the risen sun has burned a way through the fog, splendoring a part of the beleaguered city.

From Project Gutenberg

At last she was on her way to the relief of the beleaguered city; there was no room for misgiving in her faithful heart.

From Project Gutenberg

He defeated the enemy and carried away the beleaguered garrison with all the women and children.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• ringed