What does besetment mean?
Besetment is a rare English noun denoting the state of being beset—that is, of being troubled, harassed, or attacked persistently and from all directions. It is formed from the verb beset, itself built on the Old English verb settan (to set), with the noun-forming suffix -ment. The word carries a strongly negative connotation of siege-like pressure, whether literal, as in a fortress surrounded by enemies, or figurative, as in a person weighed down by debts, illness, and misfortune at once. Because it is uncommon and slightly archaic, besetment belongs chiefly to literary, historical, or deliberately formal registers; everyday writing almost always prefers constructions like "beset by difficulties." It remains useful, however, when a writer wants a single weighty word for the condition of relentless, surrounding adversity rather than a passing difficulty.
nounThe state or condition of being beset; persistent trouble, harassment, or attack from all sides.
- The state of being beset: persistent trouble, harassment, or attack pressing in from all sides.
"The settlement's besetment by raiders forced its inhabitants to abandon the valley."
"His later years were marked by financial besetment and failing health."
"The garrison endured months of besetment before relief finally arrived."
Usually treated as an uncountable mass noun; a plural form exists but is very rarely used.
"The memoir recounts the many besetments of his early career."
Besetment is what happens when 'beset' stops being a verb and starts being your whole situation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of besetment
Besetment derives from the verb beset, formed in Old and Middle English from be- (meaning 'around' or 'thoroughly') plus settan, 'to set', giving the sense of setting upon or surrounding something. The suffix -ment, borrowed through French from Latin -mentum, converts the verb into a noun expressing a state or result. The word thus shares its deep root with other descendants of the Indo-European base that also gave English words such as settle, seat, and sedentary. Besetment has never been common and survives today chiefly in formal or literary contexts.
Related word forms
How besetment is actually used
A rare, somewhat archaic or literary word. In modern usage it appears mainly in formal or historical writing; most contemporary writers prefer phrases such as "being beset by" rather than the noun form.
Easily confused with besetment
"Beset" is the verb meaning to attack or surround on all sides, while "besetment" is the rare noun denoting the state or condition resulting from being beset.