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.
In contrast, Britain's beleaguered leader Prime Minister Keir Starmer will be attending days after his hitherto loyal defence minister resigned over military spending.
From Barron's • Jun. 15, 2026
Their involvement now raises the specter of another squeeze on energy markets already beleaguered by closures on the Strait of Hormuz.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 8, 2026
Alternatives made from used cooking oil, cover crops and even captured carbon dioxide would have eased pressures on the beleaguered industry—if only there had been enough to go round.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
Lord Mandelson later adds: "I went in to No 10 after I saw you. It is beleaguered and bereft. It requires complete revamp and infusion of purpose and confidence to get anywhere."
From BBC • Jun. 1, 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
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.
