beleaguer
bih-LEE-gur
/bɪˈliːɡər/
To lay siege to; to harass, beset, or surround with troubles.
Can refer to military besieging, but today is very frequently used metaphorically for politicians, companies, or individuals surrounded by constant troubles.
The story behind the word. Borrowed in the late 16th century from Dutch 'belegeren' (to besiege), from 'be-' (around) + 'leger' (a camp, army). Literally, it means to set up camp all around an enemy location.
Word relationships
- harass: Harass implies repeated annoying attacks, while beleaguer implies surrounding and pressing down on someone from all sides.
- beset: Beset means troubled or threatened from all directions, virtually synonymous in figurative contexts.
- assist: To provide help and relief.
- comfort: To ease emotional or physical suffering.
Commonly confused with
- beguile: Beguile means to charm or deceive; beleaguer means to surround and harass.
Word family
- beleaguered (adjective): Beset with difficulties or under siege.
Collocations
- beleaguered city
- beleaguered government
- beleaguered forces
Example sentences
- "Encircled on three sides, the beleaguered infantry unit fought stubbornly to maintain their position." Military encirclement
- "The beleaguered CEO faced relentless questioning from shareholders during the annual meeting." Political crisis
Memory hook
BE-LEAGUER: an entire LEAGUE of enemies surrounding you! Surrounded by a league of troubles.
When not to use
Avoid using for a minor, momentary inconvenience; beleaguer implies persistent, multi-sided pressure.
Fun facts
- The Dutch word 'leger' inside beleaguer is the same word that gave us 'laager' (a defensive circle of wagons).
Related words
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