besiege
B2Formal/Neutral
Definition
Meaning
To surround a place, typically a city, with armed forces in order to capture it.
To surround someone or something closely, or to overwhelm with requests, questions, or problems.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies persistent pressure or encirclement; has moved from a literal military meaning to a metaphorical one for overwhelming attention.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant semantic or frequency differences. Spelling is the same. Both equally use the military and figurative senses.
Connotations
Both varieties carry the same strong connotations of persistence and encirclement.
Frequency
Similar frequency; perhaps slightly more common in UK media in historical/military contexts, but the difference is negligible.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
besiege something/somebodybe besieged by/with something/somebodyVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “under siege”
- “a besieged fortress mentality”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The customer service department was besieged with complaints after the software update.
Academic
The theory has been besieged by criticism from multiple scholarly quarters.
Everyday
As soon as the band arrived, they were besieged by autograph hunters.
Technical
The medieval castle was besieged using a combination of mining and catapults.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The royalist forces besieged the city for over a year.
- The MP's office has been besieged by constituents worried about the new road.
American English
- Rebel troops besieged the capital for three weeks.
- After the scandal broke, the CEO was besieged with questions from the press.
adverb
British English
- The castle held out besiegingly for months. (rare/archaic)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form in common use.)
adjective
British English
- The besieged garrison finally surrendered.
- He had the weary look of a besieged politician.
American English
- Supplies were dropped to the besieged town by air.
- The company's besieged leadership announced a major restructuring.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The old castle was besieged long ago.
- Fans besieged the actor outside the theatre.
- The help desk was besieged with calls when the website crashed.
- The minister was besieged by journalists demanding answers about the policy reversal.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'be' + 'siege'. A siege is when you surround a castle. So, to 'BE in a SIEGE' means to be surrounded.
Conceptual Metaphor
PROBLEMS/ATTENTION ARE ATTACKERS SURROUNDING A FORTRESS (e.g., 'besieged by debt').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Not to be confused with 'осаждать', which is a direct translation, but English 'besiege' is more formal/literal in its core sense. For the figurative sense, 'to be overwhelmed by' or 'swamped with' might be more natural in some contexts.
Common Mistakes
- Using the preposition 'from' incorrectly (e.g., 'besieged from questions' instead of 'by/with').
- Confusing with 'beseech' (to beg).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the LEAST likely meaning of 'besiege'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while its origin and core meaning are military, it is very commonly used in a figurative sense to mean being overwhelmed or surrounded by non-physical things like questions, problems, or people.
In the passive voice, 'by' and 'with' are standard: 'besieged by reporters', 'besieged with requests'. The active voice usually takes a direct object: 'Reporters besieged the celebrity'.
The related noun is 'siege'. The act of besieging is a 'siege'. The people doing it are 'besiegers'.
Rarely. It typically implies an unwelcome, persistent, or overwhelming pressure. Even 'besieged by fans' suggests a loss of control or privacy, not purely positive attention.