Besiege — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Besiege (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. to surround (as a fortified place) with armed forces for the purpose of capturing or preventing commerce and communication

   "armies besieged the city for six months before it finally surrendered"

   similar: beleaguer, blockade, invest, leaguer (archaic), lay siege to
   related: barricade, block, cut off, dam, encircle, assail, assault, attack, beset, confine, insulate, isolate, quarantine
   near: emancipate, free, liberate, release, rescue

2. to cause persistent suffering to

   "a family besieged by worries about the faltering economy"

   similar: afflict, agonize, anguish, bedevil, beset, curse, excruciate, harrow, persecute, plague, rack, torment, torture
   related: assail, attack, badger, dog, hound, pursue, ride, aggravate, agitate, annoy, bother, bug, chafe, distress, disturb, exasperate, gall, get, grate, gripe, hagride, harass, harry, irk, irritate, molest, nettle, peeve, pester, pique, put out, rasp, rile, vex, discomfort, discompose, disquiet, fluster, grieve, perturb, strain, stress, trouble, try, upset, worry, crush, oppress, overpower, overwhelm, smite, strike, tyrannize, victimize, hurt, pain, pang, prick, smart, stab, sting, wring, martyr
   near: abet, aid, assist, help, deliver, release, relieve, reprieve, comfort, console, content, quiet, solace, soothe, succor

3. to make a request to (someone) in an earnest or urgent manner

   "bereaved parents continued to besiege the president with pleas to end the war"

   similar: appeal (to), beg, beseech, conjure, entreat, impetrate, implore, importune, petition, plead (to), pray, solicit, supplicate, call on
   related: bludge (chiefly Australian & New Zealand), cadge, mooch, sponge, ask, desire, invoke, request, claim, coerce, command, compel, demand, force, insist, require
   near: hint, imply, intimate, suggest, appease, conciliate, gratify, mollify, oblige, pacify, placate, please, satisfy, comfort, console, content, quiet