Beset

Beset is a verb meaning to surround and harass, or to trouble or threaten from all sides. It can also be used as a past participle or adjective in older or literary usage, as in phrases such as a village beset by famine. In modern prose, the common form is is beset by or was beset by. The word’s sense of encirclement or persistent trouble often appears with by or with.

Etymology: Beset comes from Old English with the prefix be- attached to a form related to set, conveying surrounding or besieging. The sense of being surrounded or harassed developed in Middle English and has continued in its figurative uses.

Usage: The typical construction is be + beset + by/with + noun. Examples: “The city is beset by crime.” “The road was beset with potholes.” “The company was beset by lawsuits.” The idiom beset on all sides is also common. The present participle besetting appears in phrases like a besetting sin or besetting troubles, where it functions as a modifier or gerund.

Notes: Although primarily a verb, beset occasionally appears in adjective form in historical or literary contexts. It is related to, but distinct from, verbs such as beleaguer or surround. Careful use avoids confusion with phrases that imply containment by a single party rather than multiple pressures.

See also: beleaguer, encircle, surround, besetting sin, besetting problems.