beleaguered
Americanadjective
-
surrounded by military forces; besieged.
The beleaguered city of Limerick, having stood to the last, finally capitulated to the forces of William of Orange.
-
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
Etymology
Origin of beleaguered
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.
The results pile pressure on the beleaguered group, which has been suffering from slimmer margins from the sales of electric cars, US tariffs and above all intense Chinese competition.
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
Both men took over from beleaguered premiers without a general election and must, as you say, “earn a mandate by delivering results.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Roki Sasaki gives up six runs in only three innings, but the Dodgers offense comes through by scoring 12 straight runs against the beleaguered Padres.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 3, 2026
Investors found enough to like in the mixed report, sending the beleaguered apparel-maker’s shares 4.9% higher.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026
He saw her as the passionate spirit of innocent youth, now beleaguered by the trick which is played on youth—the trick of treachery in the body, which turns flesh into green bones.
From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White
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.
