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
Jakarta jumped more than four percent as easing concerns over energy costs provided fresh support to the beleaguered rupiah, which strengthened to 17,700 per dollar, its best leve. since the end of May.
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
In one message, Lord Mandelson describes No 10 as "beleaguered and bereft" and in need of a "complete revamp".
From BBC • Jun. 1, 2026
He’d manhandle one of the beleaguered cats up onto the keyboard and coax it with a scrap of ham to walk back and forth.
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
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.
