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.
Beleaguered English champions Liverpool suffered a ninth defeat in 12 games in all competitions as they crumbled against PSV.
From Barron's • Nov. 26, 2025
Beleaguered actor Bill Cosby has secured a buyer for his $29 million New York City townhouse—months after it was revealed he had gone into foreclosure on both of his Manhattan homes.
From MarketWatch • Oct. 24, 2025
Beleaguered boss Jay Monahan still runs the PGA Tour but the commissioner wants a new chief executive.
From BBC • Dec. 23, 2024
Beleaguered in the wake of the pandemic, downtown Seattle seemed to be suffering from long COVID, the city’s heart weakened, its social fabric worn threadbare.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 7, 2023
Beleaguered by sleeplessness, White staggered around campus like a zombie, not knowing day from night.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
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.
