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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Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Maria Sherman, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
And so what was once out of bounds continued to move within the Pale, and a scourge went on afflicting politicians and groypers and, yes, comedians alike.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 27 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
Pornographic deepfake images of her have circulated online, making the singer the most famous victim of a scourge that tech platforms and antiabuse groups have struggled to fix.
—Maria Sherman, Fortune, 28 Apr. 2026
And so what was once out of bounds continued to move within the Pale, and a scourge went on afflicting politicians and groypers and, yes, comedians alike.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 27 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
-
Once all the butter is incorporated, scrape down the sides of the bowl, increase the speed to high and whip for another 5 minutes.—
Kate Bradshaw,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 May 2026
-
As former majority whip, Cornyn is the highest ranking Texan to serve in the Senate since Lyndon Johnson.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
26 May 2026
Noun
-
The New York Yankees continue to be the Kansas City Royals’ nemeses.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
25 May 2026
-
Plus, outside of Kristina asking her island nemesis to name a loved one for every juror, the final Tribal Council lacked any sort of spark from the jury.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
The Cavs curse is simply an extension of their ongoing tension.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
25 May 2026
-
Clark’s father is a DJ as well as the author of a five-part comic series in which the protagonist, a misunderstood boy, is faced with killing newfound friends to break a curse, according to the father’s Facebook account and online book reviews.—
Teri Figueroa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 May 2026
Verb
-
In the penultimate episode, a fire at the Pineville Dam spiraled out of control, ravaging the infrastructure and causing the dam to break.—
Britt Hayes,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 May 2026
-
After the flood When floods ravaged the Asheville area, the neighborhood went three weeks without electricity and six weeks without running water.—
Jessica Blough,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
Verb
-
The 93rd brigade race around the town of Druzhivka to deliver ammunition, food and water to robot resupply units hiding under trees.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
If that bottle hiding in the back of your bar cart is dusty and doesn't taste the same, buy a fresh one.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Just as a spaghetti-strap bikini is easy to adjust for your body, a bikini bottom with side ties is ideal for achieving a custom fit on vacation.—
Destinee Scott,
Travel + Leisure,
25 May 2026
-
The bathing suit boasts easily adjustable straps, plus a shelf bra and removable cups.—
Kyra Surgent,
InStyle,
24 May 2026
Noun
-
The lines drawn were not simply between British officials and frontier vigilantes.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 May 2026
-
South African police fired rubber bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades to disperse hundreds of migrants seeking emergency refuge following a wave of vigilante assaults — violence that has escalated diplomatic tensions with Ghana and Nigeria.—
Tiisetso Motsoeneng,
semafor.com,
22 May 2026
Noun
-
Karen Fukuhara, who plays the regenerating supe Kimiko, said her final scene was with Erin Moriarty and Karl Urban (who plays Billy Butcher, leader and sometimes bane of The Boys).—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 May 2026
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Triangle-shaped, prolific, and ever-challenging to manage, nutsedge is a bane to many gardeners’ existences because the underground nutlets formed within its roots establish new plants for every single plant that grows.—
Anthony Reardon,
Kansas City Star,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scourge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scourge. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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