beleaguered

American  

[bih-lee-gerd] / bɪˈli gərd /

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.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of beleaguer.

Etymology

Origin of beleaguered

beleaguer ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

Investors in Tokyo were also closely watching the yen after speculation of intervention by the Japanese government to prop up the beleaguered currency.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

Pop sensation Lizzo has finally sold her beleaguered Beverly Hills, Calif., mansion—but has taken a $3.9 million loss on the property after spending more than a year trying to secure a buyer.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

The firm renamed it Tropicana Brands Group, balling up other beleaguered beverage properties too, and packed it full of debt.

From Slate • Apr. 20, 2026

An example he cited was Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory beleaguered by a temperamental power grid and excluded from congressional and presidential elections.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026

The previous year, he had assumed command of construction of the Pentagon, then beleaguered by labor problems, material shortages, cost overruns, and miserable work conditions.

From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik

Related Words

• ringed