Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
besetting
verb
/bɪˈsɛtɪŋ/
Definition
The act of troubling or harassing persistently; a persistent problem or concern.
Examples
- His besetting fears kept him from applying for the job.
- The besetting issues of poverty and inequality need to be addressed.
- She found that procrastination was a besetting problem in her academic life.
Meaning
To beset means to surround or attack from all sides, but it can also refer metaphorically to problems or difficulties that persistently trouble someone.
Synonyms
- Harassing
- Persecuting
- Obsessing
- Afflicting
