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.
During the four-week trial, female fans besieged Flynn.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
He describes how leaving felt like a movie where someone boards the last helicopter flight out of a besieged city.
From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026
This is a film packed with conversation yet light on longueurs, for the director and his cast invest the dense historical speech with an alertness befitting a besieged community.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 30, 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
The great sprinter kept a fatherly eye on him; Louie repaid him by swiping his do not disturb sign, leaving poor Owens besieged by autograph seekers.
From "Unbroken" by Laura Hillenbrand
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.
