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.
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
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
“It is a global center of gravity that cannot be besieged, disrupted or opposed by any party.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026
In recent months, many residents have returned home to the island, besieged from June 2023 until March 2025, when the army recaptured the capital.
From Barron's ● Apr. 22, 2026
It was the voice of his besieged youth.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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.
