besieged
Americanadjective
-
(of a fortified place) under siege; surrounded by enemy forces and cut off from help or supplies.
The security forces downplayed the situation, claiming that local authorities were still in full control of the besieged city.
-
surrounded by crowds.
He was charged with inciting to "mass disturbance" the more than 1,000 people who congregated close to the besieged police station.
-
assailed or inundated with requests or demands.
Apart from the hero, every man in this movie is a rustic bigot, and every woman a besieged housewife.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of besieged
First recorded in 1425–75; besiege ( def. ) + -ed 2 ( def. ) for the adjective senses; besiege ( def. ) + -ed 1 ( def. ) for the verb sense
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.
After word spread that a local attorney was starting a class action, residents said they were besieged by out-of-town lawyers competing aggressively for their business.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 12, 2026
They made it to a nearby clinic, San Antonio de Catia La Mar, where the besieged staff was implementing emergency triage, prioritizing those with life-threatening conditions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 30, 2026
So-called jamming has been commonplace along the Russia-Ukraine border over recent years, and now the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20% of the world’s oil is transported, is besieged by such electronic attacks.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026
Israel scrutinises all aid into besieged Gaza, a tiny coastal territory surrounded by fences and walls on all sides.
From Barron's ● Feb. 4, 2026
Some weeks previous, Mr. Sharpe had told my friend Private G—g that I was in demand to play with the orchestra gathered for the diversion of the officers and the consolation of the besieged.
From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson
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.
