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.

The health board is Wales' largest, but has been beset by serious problems since it was established in 2009, spending most of its existence in special measures - the highest level of Welsh government oversight.

From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026

The 6-foot-7 forward hadn’t played more than 66 games in a season during his first three years in the NBA, often beset by nagging or unlucky injuries.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

This country is tiled with adrift twentysomething males, beset with incoherent politics, whose opinion about any issue is generated in the 10 seconds after they’ve been asked the question.

From Slate • Apr. 13, 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

As the day drew closer, Dede was beset by doubts, particularly when she thought about her boys.

From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez

Vocabulary lists containing beset

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