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

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for besetting
  1. obsessive
  2. attacking
  3. impulsive
  4. afflicting
  5. assaulting
  6. striking
  7. robbing
Adjective
  • The cars are completely disassembled and modified around the original chassis with a process driven by Singer’s obsessive attention to detail.
    Kristin Shaw, Popular Science, 1 Jan. 2025
  • Esther is the original feminist killjoy — acerbic, brilliant, obsessive, confrontational, deeply relatable.
    Jillian Eugenios, NBC News, 29 Dec. 2024
Definition of obsessive
Verb
  • The inmate accused of fatally attacking prison guard Andrew Lansing on Christmas Day was issued a misconduct report in April for making threats, according to Lansing's brother and the prison guard union.
    Laura A. Bischoff, The Enquirer, 27 Dec. 2024
  • But future opponents will surely seek to incorporate elements of the defensive blueprint which helped Everton and Fulham derail Chelsea’s attacking momentum.
    Liam Twomey, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Definition of attacking
Adjective
  • This perspective can help avoid mistakes stemming from poor tax planning or impulsive financial decisions.
    Rory O'Hara, Forbes, 9 Jan. 2025
  • People with depression may be distracted on the road, have a slower reaction time, or have careless or impulsive driving behaviors, like hard braking or speeding.
    Elizabeth Yuko, Health, 9 Jan. 2025
Definition of impulsive
Verb
  • An audacious plan In the mid-1980s, global health agencies were otherwise occupied and heads of state largely overlooked the illness afflicting millions of their citizens.
    Sam Mednick, Chicago Tribune, 30 Dec. 2024
  • The United States now suffers from twin pathologies—one afflicting the health of its citizens and the other the health of its political system.
    Thomas J. Bollyky, Foreign Affairs, 30 Jan. 2020
Definition of afflicting
Verb
  • The men allegedly took turns assaulting Doe while the female celebrity watched.
    Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Their offenses range from misdemeanor counts of demonstrating or picketing to felonies that include assaulting officers and civil disorder.
    Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 7 Jan. 2025
Definition of assaulting
Verb
  • The infamous railroad viaduct has been the site of several crashes in the years that followed, including drivers striking the cement support beams.
    Marina Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 27 Dec. 2024
  • The Chiefs’ results against the Steelers were striking.
    Nate Taylor, The Athletic, 27 Dec. 2024
Definition of striking
Verb
  • One of Mangione’s attorneys told a judge that government officials, including New York Mayor Eric Adams, have turned Mangione into a political pawn, robbing him of his rights as a defendant and tainting the jury pool.
    Michael R. Sisak and Jake Offenhartz, Los Angeles Times, 23 Dec. 2024
  • Cops have arrested a motorist accused of attacking and robbing an NYPD traffic enforcement agent of his electronic summons book after getting a ticket on a busy Queens street, police said Friday.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 20 Dec. 2024
Definition of robbing
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near besetting

besets

besetting

beshrew

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Cite this Entry

“Besetting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besetting. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on besetting

Nglish: Translation of besetting for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of besetting for Arabic Speakers

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