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

Is help on the way for beleaguered oil consumers?

From The Wall Street Journal

But investors have no shortage of things going on to make them feel nervous, like markdowns or losses on loans at other credit funds, especially in the beleaguered software sector.

From The Wall Street Journal

And there is no let-up for the beleaguered England side, who need to beat France in Paris on Saturday to avoid losing four successive games in the Six Nations for the first time.

From BBC

The Scots landed seven scores and a half century of points against the previously imperious but now seriously beleaguered French.

From BBC

South Korean filmmakers generally accept generative AI as an unstoppable trend, if not a silver bullet that could save an industry beleaguered by rising costs.

From BBC

Related Words

• annoy
• bedevil
• beset
• plague