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.

World champion Norris has been beset by reliability problems this weekend, losing much of second practice to a hydraulic failure and half of final practice with another battery failure.

From BBC • Mar. 28, 2026

The author also reveals the desperate conditions that beset Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, and the two Americans who were driven by their religious faith to serve the same missionary hospital.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

Dubai’s economic engine—driven by luxury real estate, foreign capital and global tourism—has benefited from its perception as an island of unshakable stability in a region historically beset by turmoil.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

On Friday Miliband is launching a fast-track process for the building of new nuclear power stations, which in the past have been beset with delays, spiralling costs and red tape.

From BBC • Mar. 12, 2026

On top of panic that I’d lost my friend, I was suddenly beset by worries about my reputation.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides

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