besieged
Americanadjective
-
(of a fortified place) under siege; surrounded by enemy forces and cut off from help or supplies.
The security forces downplayed the situation, claiming that local authorities were still in full control of the besieged city.
-
surrounded by crowds.
He was charged with inciting to "mass disturbance" the more than 1,000 people who congregated close to the besieged police station.
-
assailed or inundated with requests or demands.
Apart from the hero, every man in this movie is a rustic bigot, and every woman a besieged housewife.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of besieged
First recorded in 1425–75; besiege ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; besiege ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb sense
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.
Besieged on all sides, Mr. Lee is a past master at playing to public emotions.
From Washington Times • Sep. 22, 2023
Besieged cities have been suffering from shortages of food, medicine, heat and electricity.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 10, 2022
Besieged with fraud, Michigan froze hundreds of thousands of cases while it investigated, including hers.
From New York Times • Feb. 14, 2021
Besieged for more than a year by the Assad regime and its allies, the Syrian town of Madaya has existed in a virtual vacuum.
From The Guardian • Oct. 4, 2016
Suspendedly, Lance, Your Besieged Working Boy V The lovely girl smiled hopefully at Dr. Talc and breathed, “I just love your course. I mean, it’s grand.”
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
