beleaguered

adjective

be·​lea·​guered bi-ˈlē-gərd How to pronounce beleaguered (audio)
bē-
Synonyms of beleaguerednext
: suffering or being subjected to constant or repeated trouble or harassment
an economically beleaguered city
With its life-support system cut off, the beleaguered college has embarked on a tortuous campaign to keep going.Lucinda Harper
… as he evolved from conformist to opportunist to reformer to revolutionary to beleaguered leader.Philip Taubman

Examples of beleaguered in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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After it was turned into a blockbuster movie starring Anne Hathaway, Meryl Streep and Emily Blunt in June 2006, the story about a beleaguered employee in a hyper-demanding workplace became a cultural phenomenon. Staff Author, PEOPLE, 30 Apr. 2026 Mattingly kept the coaching staff intact — notably beleaguered hitting coach Kevin Long, who took most of the heat for the Phillies’ woes — and third base coach Dusty Wathan was promoted to bench coach. Dan Gelston, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026 At times, it’s seemed futile, as the Royals’ beleaguered offense and maligned bullpen let them down. Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026 Moore sounds beleaguered at the outset, which makes the next 20 minutes particularly fraught and precarious. Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for beleaguered

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of beleaguer

First Known Use

1644, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of beleaguered was in 1644

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Cite this Entry

“Beleaguered.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/beleaguered. Accessed 1 May. 2026.

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