Besiege: meaning, definitions and examples

Used to describe a military operation where forces surround a place to force its surrender, or figuratively when someone is overwhelmed by requests or complaints.

• The castle was besieged for months before it finally fell.
• The customer service department was besieged with complaints.

Used when someone is facing a lot of trouble or difficulties on all sides. It can refer to physical situations or emotional and mental challenges.

• The company was beset by severe financial problems.
• She was beset with doubts about her ability to perform the job.

Used to describe a physical or metaphorical situation where something or someone is completely surrounded.

• The hunters encircled the deer to prevent it from escaping.
• She felt encircled by the expectations of her family and friends.

Describes an act of war where roads, ports, or cities are blocked to prevent goods and people from going in or out, or figuratively when resources or information are intentionally restricted.

• The naval blockade prevented the enemy ships from reaching the shore.
• The government imposed a blockade on communication channels during the crisis.

Described when something or someone is on all sides of a particular area or individual. It is more neutral and can be used in positive, negative, or neutral contexts.

• They decided to surround the garden with a beautiful fence.
• The police surrounded the building during the operation.
• She was surrounded by her close friends at the birthday party.

Besiege is typically used in the context of military operations or intense pressure, where a place (usually a city or fortress) is surrounded by armed forces to capture it or force surrender. It can also be used metaphorically to describe overwhelming pressure or harassment from multiple sources.

• The medieval castle was besieged for months before it finally fell.
• The celebrity was besieged by reporters asking about the scandal.

Swarm is often used to describe a large number of people, animals, or insects moving together in a busy or crowded manner. It can imply overwhelming numbers but not necessarily aggression.

• A swarm of bees approached the picnic area, causing everyone to run.
• Fans swarmed the football player after the big game.

Mob is used to describe a large, disorderly crowd of people, often with a sense of aggression or intent to cause trouble. It carries a negative connotation and implies chaos or potential danger.

• A mob of protestors gathered outside the government building.
• The angry mob demanded justice and refused to leave.

Surround is a more neutral term used to describe the act of encircling something or someone from all sides. It doesn't carry the intense military or chaotic connotations of 'besiege' or 'mob'.

• The garden is surrounded by a beautiful wrought iron fence.
• The police surrounded the building to prevent the suspect from escaping.