BESETS Synonyms: 155 Similar and Opposite Words

besets

verb

present tense third-person singular of beset

as in plagues

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

as in attacks

to take sudden, violent action against the unsuspecting tourists were suddenly beset by robbers

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for besets

Verb

Too often, this means taxpayer dollars are fueling the very gun violence that plagues neighborhoods and communities nationwide.

— Kris Brown, Chicago Tribune, 9 Aug. 2026
Odd moment plagues fourth quarter As the Knicks held on to their fairly sizable lead, a fan ran onto the court, tried to take a selfie with Wembanyama but was quickly apprehended by security.

— Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 4 June 2026

Definition of plagues

Verb

Greenidge, an award-winning public historian, refuted all charges, and told the New York Times that attacks on her scholarship were racially motivated.

— Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026
However, when Duffy attacks Marcus during a confrontation with Slough House agents, Louisa hits the chief of the Dogs in the head, leaving him in a coma.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of attacks

Verb

That means protections for those who have been vaccinated will weaken and wane as the disease afflicts those who haven’t, threatening public health as a whole.

— New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 12 Aug. 2026
Advertisement Mission hijacking in the nonprofit space A similar overcrowding afflicts the pro-democracy space today.

— Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 28 June 2026

Definition of afflicts

Verb

Anyone who assaults law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

— Christina Fan, CBS News, 7 June 2026
Any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates or interferes with airline crew members can lead to penalties of up to $43,658 per violation, according to the FAA.

— Cindy Von Quednow, CNN Money, 3 May 2026

Definition of assaults

Verb

China, which jails human rights activists in Hong Kong, persecutes Uyghurs, has killed hundreds of thousands of Tibetans and has committed genocide against the Falun Gong, is on the UN Human Rights Council.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 18 Feb. 2026
In Russia, the civilian repressive apparatus persecutes the military, which leaps at every chance for revenge.

— Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025

Definition of persecutes

Verb

In the character's final scene, as the DEA raids her rural compound, Laurie ties a rope around her neck and jumps from the roof of her home.

— Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026
In the meantime, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) finally raids Laurie's property, thanks to the intel Rue had been giving them.

— Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 1 June 2026

Definition of raids

Verb

Mars storms the Official Streaming chart with five titles, while one of his most successful collaborations becomes a bestseller again on multiple rosters.

— Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026
Although significant, that event was far less powerful than the Carrington Event — or the even rarer storms the new study suggests may be possible.

— Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of storms

Verb

After another two minutes of dangerous Machado Garry strikes, Makhachev deftly tripped the challenger and quickly scrambled to take Machado Garry’s back, where Makhachev stayed stapled until the horn sounded and Silva’s record was rewritten.

— Mark Puleo, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Medium heat strikes the perfect balance of drying quickly but maintaining towel softness.

— Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of strikes

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.

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beset

besets

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“Besets.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besets. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of besets

verb

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