Beleaguered
/bɪˈliːɡərd/
adjectiveC1past participle / adjective form
Definition
Beleaguered describes a person, group, or place that is facing many problems or difficulties at the same time. It often suggests feeling trapped or under pressure from outside forces, like enemies or troubles that surround and cause stress.
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⚡ See It in Action
Surrounded by difficulties or enemies
- •The beleaguered town was cut off from supplies for weeks.
- •Soldiers felt beleaguered during the long battle.
- •The company is beleaguered by financial problems and bad publicity.
Under constant pressure or stress
- •The beleaguered manager struggled to keep the team motivated.
- •After many complaints, the beleaguered teacher finally took a break.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "beleaguered" like "worried" or "troubled," but much stronger and more serious—like being stuck in a hard place with no easy way out
- ✓Picture a castle surrounded by many enemies on all sides, with no escape—this shows how "beleaguered" means being surrounded by problems
- ✓It's the feeling when you have many tasks, problems, or people causing stress and you feel worn out or pressed
- ✓Sounds like "be-LEAG-uered" → imagine a "league" (group) of problems or enemies all around you, making it hard to move or breathe
- ✓Think of stories where a city or hero is under siege (attack) and cannot easily leave or win—this is a classic example of being beleaguered
- ✓NOT like "annoyed" (small problem) but "beleaguered" means big, serious troubles all around
- ✓NOT like "alone" (just by yourself) but "beleaguered" means surrounded or pressured by others or problems
- ✓NOT like "safe" or "free"—beleaguered means trapped or in danger from many sides
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Besieged: surrounded and attacked (Use when talking about physical or strong pressure from enemies or forces)
- •Harassed: bothered repeatedly (Use when the pressure comes from people causing stress or annoyance)
- •Overwhelmed: feeling unable to cope because of too much pressure (Use when the focus is on emotional or mental stress)
- •Stressed: feeling pressure or tension (Use for general feelings of worry or pressure, less intense than beleaguered)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: prefix "be-" (around, about) + "leaguer" (to surround or lay siege)
- •Etymology: From Dutch/French "leaguer" meaning to encamp or surround with military forces
- •Historical development: Originally used in military contexts to mean surrounded by enemies; later used for any heavy pressure or trouble
- •Modern usage: Often used to describe people, groups, or places under heavy stress or surrounded by problems, not only in war but in everyday life
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How can being beleaguered affect a person's decisions and feelings in difficult times?
•Can you think of a situation in your life or in stories where someone felt beleaguered? How did they handle it?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.The beleaguered city was ___ by enemy forces, making it impossible to get food or help.
2.After months of problems, the beleaguered worker felt ___ and ready to quit.
3.Unlike a simple problem, being beleaguered means having many troubles ___ from all sides.
4.When a team is beleaguered, they often have to ___ extra hard to keep going.
5.The manager was beleaguered ___ complaints and constant deadlines.
6.A beleaguered person might feel ___ because they have no easy way to solve their problems.
7.The company’s beleaguered reputation made it difficult to ___ new customers.