besetting 1 of 2

adjective

bi-ˈse-tiŋ How to pronounce besetting (audio)
Definition of besettingnext
as in obsessive
caused by or suggestive of an irresistible urge that woman's besetting need to meddle in the affairs of others

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

besetting

2 of 2

verb

present participle of beset
1
as in plaguing
to cause persistent suffering to he's been beset by a lack of self-confidence virtually his entire life

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in attacking
to take sudden, violent action against the unsuspecting tourists were suddenly beset by robbers

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of besetting
Verb
Both mother and daughter reflect on the troubles besetting their own family, as the mother tries to write a novel. — Michael Schaub, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026 The Leafs needed an NHL player with injuries besetting their blue line. — Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 13 Jan. 2026 Rodent infestation and mold are among the many problems besetting the 19th-century estate. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 26 June 2026 To his sons, however, the Party offers meaning and purpose—a powerful countervailing force to the lack of prospects besetting their generation, which had been decimated by the Great War. — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besetting
  1. obsessive
  2. plaguing
  3. attacking
  4. impulsive
  5. afflicting
  6. assaulting
  7. persecuting
  8. raiding
Adjective
  • This highly competent, obsessive duo tumbles into a self-destructive cat-and-mouse dynamic — but who’s the cat and who’s the mouse?
    — Sara Netzley, Entertainment Weekly, 2 July 2026
  • However, popular culture can’t fully explain why summer camps hold such a nostalgic and almost obsessive place in the nation’s collective consciousness.
    — Derek H. Alderman, The Conversation, 26 June 2026
Definition of obsessive
Verb
  • This comes at a time when existential fiscal anxiety has been plaguing Americans.
    — Sean Conlon, CNBC, 3 July 2026
  • The other factor that Mercedes needs to consider is that reliability issue that’s plaguing itself and its customer teams.
    — Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 27 June 2026
Definition of plaguing
Verb
  • Electing to keep his No 5 on the field, the Brazil head coach made a subtle tactical tweak that saw Endrick enter the action and brought Matheus Cunha further to the left flank — which unlocked the attacking prowess of Vinicius Junior.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 6 July 2026
  • In patients with type 1 diabetes, the immune system starts attacking the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 6 July 2026
Definition of attacking
Adjective
  • The desire for freedom is overpowering, as is the potential for impulsive and rash decisions made in the moment.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
  • Many individuals fall prey to emotional pitfalls like fear, greed, or shame, leading to impulsive spending, credit card debt, and neglecting long-term goals like retirement.
    — ByGabriel Shahin, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of impulsive
Verb
  • Cholera, a waterborne bacterial disease, has unleashed a perilous wave across southern Africa, with active outbreaks currently afflicting five countries in southern and central Africa.
    — John Drake, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
  • Never mind the economic turbulence afflicting the country and the world, driven most recently by rising gas prices because of the war in Iran.
    — Stephen Hudak, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 May 2026
Definition of afflicting
Verb
  • One of their bookshop employees was John Waters, later to become renowned as the taboo-assaulting filmmaker.
    — Matthew Carey, Deadline, 3 July 2026
  • Kieran McCool, 57, was convicted of assaulting a community worker.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 3 July 2026
Definition of assaulting
Verb
  • Biden weaponized Law Enforcement against his political opponent, while also persecuting many other innocent people.
    — New York Times, New York Times, 11 June 2026
  • Jack Hayford, the founder of the King’s University, in Texas, claimed that the film was persecuting Christians, who only wanted to be treated equally.
    — Isaac Butler, New Yorker, 30 May 2026
Definition of persecuting
Verb
  • Want to stop raiding the fridge every night before bed?
    — Dr. Deepika Chopra, Flow Space, 16 June 2026
  • While our dreams of raiding Tay Tay’s closet will likely never come true, that won’t stop of from borrowing her style and shopping Swift’s favorite designer brands.
    — Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 16 June 2026
Definition of raiding

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besets
besetting
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Cite this Entry

“Besetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besetting. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on besetting

Nglish: Translation of besetting for Spanish Speakers

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