besiege
to surround a place with armed forces in order to capture it, or to overwhelm someone with requests or questions
Word origin: From be- plus siege, ultimately from Latin sedere, to sit (a sitting-down before a fortress).
Besiege in a sentence
Here are example sentences showing besiege in a sentence.
Reporters besieged the senator with questions after the scandal broke.
After the announcement, reporters besieged the spokesperson with questions she was not authorized to answer.
Quick GRE check
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Verbal · Sentence Equivalence
The startup's early growth, impressive as it looked on paper, rested on a blank foundation, for a single lost contract was enough to push the firm to the brink of collapse.
Using “besiege” well
Besiege carries both a literal military sense and a figurative one of being overwhelmed by demands. The figurative use is what the GRE most often tests.
More GRE words starting with B
marked by riotous, unrestrained revelry and drunken festivity
to pester or harass someone persistently
light, playful, and witty banter
to confuse or perplex thoroughly
threatening harm or menacing in a sinister way
to hesitate or refuse to proceed with something
to swell or puff out, or to increase rapidly in amount or size
lacking originality and so dull or commonplace
Questions about “besiege”
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