besiege

American

[bih-seej] / bɪˈsidʒ /

verb (used with object)

besieged, besieging

to lay siege to.
to crowd around; crowd in upon; surround.

Vacationers besieged the travel office.
to assail or ply, as with requests or demands.

Synonyms:

hound, harry, harass, pester, beset

besiege British

/ bɪˈsiːdʒ /

verb

to surround (a fortified area, esp a city) with military forces to bring about its surrender
to crowd round; hem in
to overwhelm, as with requests or queries

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

besiegement noun
besieger noun
besiegingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of besiege

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English bysegen; be-, siege

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.

The besieged enclave has neither water nor electricity.

From The Wall Street Journal

Noting that the pamphlet “is working a powerful change in the minds of many men,” George Washington had it read aloud to the troops besieging Boston.

From Salon

A source in the Sudanese army told AFP that "this progress will open up the road between El-Obeid and Dilling" -- a city in South Kordofan state controlled by the army and besieged by the RSF.

From Barron's

After 18 months of besieging el-Fasher, the RSF captured the city - a major victory pushing the army out of its last foothold in the vast Darfur region.

From BBC

KYIV, Ukraine—Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky made a dramatic statement of defiance on Friday, releasing a video filmed on the edge of a besieged city whose capture Russia touted almost a month ago.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023