beleaguer

American  

[bih-lee-ger] / bɪˈli gər /

verb (used with object)

1. to surround with military forces.

2. to surround or beset, as with troubles.

   Synonyms:

   hector, plague, annoy, vex, vex, bother, badger, pester, harass

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beleaguer British  

/ bɪˈliːɡə /

verb

1. to trouble persistently; harass

2. to lay siege to

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Other Word Forms

• beleaguerer noun

Etymology

Origin of beleaguer

First recorded in 1580–90; be- + leaguer ¹

Example Sentences

But the fact that the company kept its guidance steady made Jefferies analyst James Heaney more confident in his view that the next earnings report “won’t be enough to lift sentiment” for the beleaguered stock.

From MarketWatch

We should be doing all we can to get people to vote and invest in our beleaguered political system.

From Los Angeles Times

Problems in the beleaguered sector have been thrown into focus recently after tens of thousands of South East Water customers were cut off for several days both before and after Christmas.

From BBC

France began charging non-EU visitors to the Louvre Museum 45 percent more than Europeans on Wednesday, in a controversial bid to raise money for renovations at the beleaguered Paris landmark.

From Barron's

The country’s beleaguered currency, the rial, tipped into a new downward spiral the country had little ability to stop.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• annoy
• bedevil
• beset
• plague