beleaguered

American  

[bih-lee-gerd] / bɪˈli gərd /

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.

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verb

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

Etymology

Origin of beleaguered

beleaguer ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

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

When he was at home, Mr. Slaughter writes, Seward “was bored and beleaguered among family members.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Sudan's Prime Minister Kamil Idris told reporters on Sunday that the "government of hope" was officially back in Khartoum and would begin efforts to improve services for the city's beleaguered residents.

From BBC

The goal is to come out feeling steadier, more confident and maybe even a little smug—not beleaguered and hungry.

From Salon

Related Words

• ringed