siege

noun

ˈsēj How to pronounce siege (audio)
Definition of siegenext
1
as in attack
a sudden experiencing of a physical or mental disorder a devastating siege of typhoid fever hit the city

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in blockade
the cutting off of an area by military means to stop the flow of people or supplies after a siege of six weeks, the city of Vicksburg surrendered to General Grant and his Union forces

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 siege The White House has in recent days also pressured Israel’s leader to condemn Israeli settlers’ siege of Palestinians in the West Bank, which soldiers stand accused of abetting. — Brendan Ruberry, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026 The United States — Israel’s closest ally — has condemned the ongoing siege in Qusra, now in its tenth day. — Sam Metz, Los Angeles Times, 18 Aug. 2026 Michael Winterbottom’s film was shot only a year after the city’s siege ended. — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 18 Aug. 2026 The story of cult leader David Koresh and the Branch Davidians has been documented many times, but to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the 51-day siege on their compound, Tiller Russell offered an unusually immersive account of the story. — Will Harris, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for siege
Recent Examples of Synonyms for siege
  1. attack
  2. blockade
  3. bout
  4. seizure
  5. case
  6. spell
Noun
  • Detectives charged him with murder, manslaughter and criminal possession of a weapon for the vicious attack that killed his mother, 57-year-old Josefa Soto de Guzman, on Friday.
    — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Just like Ejva, who suddenly needs to learn how to protect the herd and make her family proud, even when a violent attack leaves her struggling.
    — Marta Balaga, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of attack
Noun
  • Iran has endured decades of harsh sanctions and has recently faced a full US Navy blockade of its ports that has dried up oil exports.
    — Yash Roy, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • President Masoud Pezeshkian has acknowledged that the blockade has restricted the country’s ability to import essential goods, including fuel.
    — Hamidreza Azizi, Time, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of blockade
Noun
  • Perhaps cognisant of the last time one of his fighters — fellow British heavyweight Fabio Wardley — was in a similar predicament during his bout against Dubois in May.
    — Sarah Shephard, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The bout ran eight rounds at two minutes each, contested at a super heavyweight limit of 110 kilograms.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of bout
Noun
  • The problem is, Isolde is very busy with work, so Ry is often left to herself with four alarms a day to take medication to prevent seizures.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The column argues that Sheriff Chad Bianco’s seizure of more than 650,000 Proposition 50 ballots was an unprecedented intrusion into the election process that threatened the integrity of the vote and the chain of custody for ballots.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of seizure
Noun
  • The trial brings to a head a decades-old case that for years has drawn the eyes of hip-hop fans and true crime experts alike.
    — Jonathan Landrum Jr, Chicago Tribune, 1 Sep. 2026
  • There’s no denying that the fall 2026 runways made a strong case for color; even the street style scene is on board, slipping into colorful shoes and sporting handbags in a variety of vibrant shades—baby pink, chartreuse, and cobalt.
    — Laura Jackson, Vogue, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of case
Noun
  • After a tough spell, a cup run would do just that — and give those supporters a chance to dream again.
    — Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • This would be equivalent to creative writing streams of consciousness to hitting the spell check button!
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of spell

Phrases Containing siege

Browse Nearby Words

siding (with)
siege
sieges
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Cite this Entry

“Siege.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/siege. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on siege

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about siege

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