What does "siege" mean?
Military action.; A prolonged military assault or a blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition.
Siege
/siːd͡ʒ/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Moderate ·College level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Military action.; A prolonged military assault or a blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition.
- Grammar: siege is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: assault, attack, badger, barricading.
- Useful contrasts: access, calm, freedom.
- Usage evidence: There is no way out of the siege except to take the bull by the horns and let God judge the outcome.
How to use "siege"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "siege" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "siege" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "siege" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "siege" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "siege" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "assault" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "siege", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Military action.; A prolonged military assault or a blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition.
"The Peloponnesian war is a proper subject for history, the siege of Athens for an epic poem, and the death of Alcibiades for a tragedy."
- 2 the action of an armed force that surrounds a fortified place and isolates it while continuing to attack wordnet
- 3 Military action.; A period of struggle or difficulty, especially from illness. US
- 4 Military action.; A prolonged assault or attack. figuratively
"But once again Hodgson's men found a way to get the result they required and there is a real air of respectability about their campaign even though they had to survive a first-half siege from a Ukraine side desperate for the win they needed to progress."
- 5 A seat.; A seat, especially as used by someone of importance or authority. obsolete
"Now Merlyn said kyng Arthur / goo thow and aspye me in al this land l knyghtes whiche ben of most prowesse & worship / within short tyme merlyn had founde suche knyȝtes[…]Thenne the Bisshop of Caunterbury was fette and he blessid the syeges with grete Royalte and deuoycyon / and there sette the viij and xx knyghtes in her syeges"
Show 10 more definitions
- 6 A seat.; An ecclesiastical see. obsolete
- 7 A seat.; The place where one has his seat; a home, residence, domain, empire. obsolete
- 8 A seat.; The seat of a heron while looking out for prey.
- 9 A seat.; A flock of herons.
- 10 A seat.; A toilet seat. obsolete
- 11 A seat.; The anus; the rectum. obsolete
"Another ground were certain holes or cavities observable about the siege; which being perceived in males, made some conceive there might be also a feminine nature in them."
- 12 A seat.; Excrements, stool, fecal matter. obsolete
"Thou art very Trinculo indeed! How cam'st thou / to be the siege of this moon-calf? Can he vent Trinculos?"
- 13 A seat.; Rank; grade; station; estimation. obsolete
"I fetch my life and being / From men of royal siege."
- 14 A seat.; The floor of a glass-furnace. obsolete
- 15 A place with a toilet seat: an outhouse; a lavatory. obsolete
Verb
- 1 To assault or blockade a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition; to besiege. transitive, uncommon
Example
"There is no way out of the siege except to take the bull by the horns and let God judge the outcome."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "siege"?
Common synonyms include: assault, attack, badger, barricading, bathroom, beleaguer.
How do you use "siege" in a sentence?
There is no way out of the siege except to take the bull by the horns and let God judge the outcome.
How do you pronounce "siege"?
Pronounced /siːd͡ʒ/.
Etymology
From Middle English sege, from Old French sege, siege, seige (modern French siège), from Vulgar Latin *sēdicum, from Latin sēdicŭlum, sēdēcula (“small seat”), from Latin sēdēs (“seat”).