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

No one beats up on New Jersey like its own beleaguered residents, who arguably get less for their money than anyone else in the country.

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Late in 2008 he wrote a letter expressing love for both the incoming Barack Obama but also “my beleaguered superpower.”

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The beleaguered bride, in her dress, perspired through her makeup on a warm afternoon.

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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.

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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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Related Words

• ringed