Definitions

beset

[bih-set] / bɪˈsɛt /

VERB

plague; hem in

Synonyms

STRONGEST

bedevil beleaguer besiege embarrass invade overrun perplex surround

STRONG

aggress assail attack badger bug circle compass dog encircle enclose encompass entangle environ girdle harass harry hassle infest nag nudge pester ride ring storm strike

WEAK

drive up the wall fall on fall upon give a bad time give a hard time give one the business give the needle jump on one's case pick on put the squeeze on start in on

Antonyms

STRONGEST

clarify clear up explain leave alone please surrender

STRONG

aid assist exclude free help let go lose release support unloose

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.

But it has been beset by delays, and Berlin is now weighing handing control of the project to Rheinmetall.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

Lauren Halsey walks by in her distinctive white shirt, long shorts and ball cap, beset on all sides by friends and admirers.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

The 1,450-mile river is in peril, a water source for 40 million people in seven states that is beset by population growth and a warming climate.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 16, 2026

If the case does proceed to trial, that path will be "beset by a multitude of delays" given the size and complexity of the material, which will include sensitive national security information.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Slant is beset upon by all the transports of terror at the prospect.

From "The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume II: The Kingdom on the Waves" by M.T. Anderson

Vocabulary lists containing beset

Beowulf

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"Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou

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Beowulf vocabulary

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