beleaguered

[bih-lee-gerd]

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.

verb

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of beleaguered¹

beleaguer ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

The deal has lifted beleaguered drug stocks by pointing a way for companies to remove the threat of tariffs and deal with U.S. pricing pressures.

Read more on Wall Street Journal

The looming economic blow comes as Haiti’s beleaguered government struggles to contain gangs that have taken over nearly the entire capital, Port-au-Prince.

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Among those who criticized the decision, which was reversed by South Carolina’s Supreme Court, was Harmeet Dhillon, the San Francisco attorney who now heads the Justice Department’s beleaguered Civil Rights Division.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The football might be worryingly similar at Manchester United this season but as Sunderland prepare to come to Old Trafford and heap more pressure on beleaguered head coach Ruben Amorim, one thing has certainly changed.

Read more on BBC

One group has organized an airplane banner to fly over the stadium before the game, with a similar message directed at the beleaguered Bruins athletic director.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• ringed