Skip to the word

Added 10 October 2026

beleaguer

/bɪˈliː.ɡə/ verb

verb Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about beleaguer at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

To besiege; to surround with troops.
To vex, harass, or beset.
To exhaust.

Origin

Borrowed from Dutch belegeren and/or Middle Low German belēgeren; equivalent to be- + lair. Compare also German belagern, Danish belejre. The English spelling was perhaps influenced by unrelated league.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

Back to today's word