1
as in whip
a long thin or flexible tool for striking
the museum display included a scourge, thumbscrews, and other notorious instruments of torture
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2
as in nemesis
one who inflicts punishment in return for an injury or offense
the attorney general, who just happens to be a candidate for governor, is a self-proclaimed scourge of organized crime
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in curse
a source of harm or misfortune
the sheer ubiquity of food is proving to be the scourge of humanity, as evidenced by the obesity epidemic
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to ravage
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
barbarians scourged the countryside, leaving village after village burned to the ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to whip
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible
scourge the tree with a whip to loosen the bark
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scourge
Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
Or that Manrique taught his Times bosses that Latinos were more than domestic help or a societal scourge.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Dorothy Wickenden, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2023
Like its American rival, the Tiger was initially intended to scourge Soviet tank battalions, but was refashioned for multi-role capabilities.
—Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 9 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for scourge
Noun
The ongoing outcry surrounding Jeffrey Epstein is on some level a reckoning with the scourge of child abuse and the impunity of the elites.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
Or that Manrique taught his Times bosses that Latinos were more than domestic help or a societal scourge.
—Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
The tragedy inspired a poem by twelve-year-old Benjamin Franklin and a funeral oration by the scourging Puritan clergyman Cotton Mather.
—Dorothy Wickenden, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2023
Like its American rival, the Tiger was initially intended to scourge Soviet tank battalions, but was refashioned for multi-role capabilities.
—Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 9 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for scourge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scourge
Noun
-
The musical, brimming over with Broadway in-jokes and phallic humor, doesn’t build so much as whip itself into a frenzy.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
1 May 2026
-
This easy-to-whip-up buttermilk cake unabashedly leans into the acidity and creaminess of whole buttermilk to flavor and build the base of the batter.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Xander Bogaerts’ nemesis stood atop the mound.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
-
Yura’s nemeses, who are part of her elderly father’s underwater court, seem to be after her magical flute, an ancient device that controls their kingdom’s dragon.—
Beatrice Loayza,
Variety,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Baseball has always been a sport that believes in the occult — in juju and curses and superstitions.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
-
Mike Russo writes that, in breaking their curse, the Wild may have their best shot at a title in franchise history.—
James Mirtle,
New York Times,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
An offense built on length has been ravaged by injuries and some sort of affliction that has the Mets regularly hitting the ball into the ground instead of in the air.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
National income per person had fallen from about $8,000 in 2012 to $5,000 in 2024, ravaged by inflation, corruption and sanctions.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
To add order, cabinets hide toys, there’s a small desk for homework, and East London Cloth café curtains filter the light.—
Katherine Burns Olson,
Architectural Digest,
1 May 2026
-
The Harrison County Health Department notes dark clothing resembles the shadows mosquitoes hide in.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
Their bra straps showed; their hair and faces were glossy.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
After several seasons of towering platforms dominating party dressing, celebrities have been circling back to thin-strap stilettos as a cleaner evening option, especially in gold and silver finishes that add polish without taking over the full look.—
Maggie Clancy,
Footwear News,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
Fisk’s authoritarian tactics and campaign targeting vigilantes pushes Daredevil underground to try to assemble allies in order to bring the Kingpin down.—
Tracy Brown,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
-
However, Daredevil and several of his fellow vigilantes had to go underground in order to expose Kingpin's lies.—
Staff Author,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
Sargassum, the stinky, slimy bane of beachgoers worldwide, is forecast to swarm over Florida's beaches this summer, experts say.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
18 Apr. 2026
-
Political instability has been a bane, with 32 governments taking office since 1990 and none of them completing a five-year term.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
27 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scourge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scourge. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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