beleaguered

1 of 2

adjective

be·​lea·​guered bi-ˈlē-gərd How to pronounce beleaguered (audio)
bē-
Synonyms of beleaguered
: suffering or being subjected to constant or repeated trouble or harassment
an economically beleaguered city
With its life-support system cut off, the beleaguered college has embarked on a tortuous campaign to keep going.—Lucinda Harper
… as he evolved from conformist to opportunist to reformer to revolutionary to beleaguered leader.—Philip Taubman

beleaguered

2 of 2

past tense and past participle of beleaguer

Examples of beleaguered in a Sentence

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Adjective
That year, after Israeli officials castigated Qatar for allegedly financing Hamas, the Qataris began demanding formal documentation of an arrangement the two governments had agreed was meant to provide relief to citizens of the beleaguered enclave. — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026 Instead, the beleaguered quarterback continues to slide down mock draft boards as the season matures. — Austin Perry Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026 Running back Walter Payton felt beleaguered, having spent his career carrying a losing franchise. — Borys Kit, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026 The index got a boost as investors bought the dip on some beleaguered names and software stocks rallied. — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beleaguered

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

from past participle of beleaguer

First Known Use

Adjective

1644, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of beleaguered was in 1644

Browse Nearby Words

beleaguer
beleaguered
belecture
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Beleaguered.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beleaguered. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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