English · Word Candidate

siege

/siːd͡ʒ/

Proposed by a contributor, not yet supported by evidence.

Also seen as: sieges · sieging · sieged

Sense 1

Meaning · English

Military action. — A prolonged military assault or a blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition.

Noun

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.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

Military action. — A period of struggle or difficulty, especially from illness.

NounRegister: US

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

Meaning · English

To assault or blockade a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by force or attrition; to besiege.

Verb

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-08-01 via kaikki.org).

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.

Is “siege” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.