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

Adam Miller said Los Angeles is on a downward trajectory and is beset with problems.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 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

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

Evil may be endured when our days pass in mourning, heavy-hearted, hard beset, if only sleep reign over nighttime, blanketing the world’s good and evil from our eyes.

From "The Odyssey" by Homer

Vocabulary lists containing beset

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"Still I Rise" by Maya Angelou

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