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Glite Dictionary
beleaguering

beleaguering

9.9
A military action that surrounds a fort or city and cuts off its supplies
  • noun
  • /bɪˈliːɡərɪŋ/
  • Specialized
translation icon : asedio
  • The beleaguering of the fortress lasted for several months without a decisive victory.

Examples

  • Historical accounts describe the beleaguering as both brutal and relentless.

  • During the beleaguering of the city, supplies quickly ran low inside the walls.

  • The beleaguering of the city lasted for months.

  • The army's beleaguering tactics were effective against the fortress.

  • The soldiers faced numerous challenges during the beleaguering of the castle, as supplies were cut off and reinforcements were delayed.

  • The lengthy beleaguering of the stronghold tested the resilience of the defending troops as they fought to maintain their position.

  • After weeks of beleaguering, the enemy forces finally surrendered, unable to withstand the continuous assault and isolation.

Synonyms

siege
vsbeleaguering
139 6.8

A military attack that surrounds a place and stops supplies to make those inside give up

adds ongoing attacks rather than only cutting supplies
military blockade
vsbeleaguering
1 6.7

Soldiers or ships surround a place to stop supplies and force it to give up

emphasizes attacks alongside isolation
besieging
vsbeleaguering
9.2

Surrounding a town or fort and attacking it to make the people inside surrender

adds cutting off and isolation to the action

Antonyms

relief
440 1.0

A feeling of comfort when pain or worry goes away

withdrawal
281 4.1

Removing people or things from a place

Surface Forms

beleaguering singular
beleaguering plural

Morphology

beleaguering = beleaguer (transparent) = be + leaguer + ing

Standard gerund/nominalization of the verb 'beleaguer' (be- + leaguer), so the meaning is the action of besieging.

Etymology

The word beleaguering comes from an old root leger meaning 'camp' with the part be- that means 'around'. So to beleaguer a city was to 'put a camp around' it and stop its supplies, which is why a beleaguering is surrounding a fortress and cutting it off.