scourging

verb

Definition of scourgingnext
present participle of scourge
1
as in ravaging
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action barbarians scourged the countryside, leaving village after village burned to the ground

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in whipping
to strike repeatedly with something long and thin or flexible scourge the tree with a whip to loosen the bark

Synonyms & Similar Words

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for scourging
  1. whipping
  2. destroying
  3. hiding
  4. slashing
  5. lashing
Verb
  • Sick of whipping out a hair dryer, round brush, and a straightener to achieve a frizz-free blowout?
    Clara McMahon, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
  • With gusts of up to 80 mph possible, a small fire could transform into an inferno, whipping embers at astonishing speeds and leaving firefighters with few options other than trying to get people to evacuate.
    Rong-Gong Lin II, Los Angeles Times, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of whipping
Verb
  • The wildfire ignited Monday and has expanded at an alarming rate, burning more than 3,000 acres with 0% containment and destroying at least seven structures.
    Alexandra Banner, CNN, 11 Dec. 2024
  • This includes destructive behavior such as chewing and destroying furniture as well as things like howling and barking.
    Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of destroying
Verb
  • The Sanctuary follows Hunter, an eccentric American billionaire hiding in New Zealand.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Your top performers have figured out a secret that's hiding in plain sight.
    B.D. Dalton, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of hiding
Verb
  • Making these oversized elephants dance will take way more than slashing budgets and slapping agile jargon on the all-hands PowerPoint presentations.
    Greg Orme, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
  • Were Republicans discussing slashing entitlement benefits, the main drivers of deficits?
    Catie Edmondson, New York Times, 6 Dec. 2024
Definition of slashing
Verb
  • Anxiously attached individuals may react by lashing out or masking fears with overly positive behaviors, reflecting their struggle between seeking connection and fearing rejection.
    Mark Travers, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
  • Loyal listeners were sorely disappointed, lashing out at Spotify with memes and mockery.
    Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
Definition of lashing
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Thesaurus Entries Near scourging

scourges

scourging

scouring

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Cite this Entry

“Scourging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scourging. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

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More from Merriam-Webster on scourging

Nglish: Translation of scourging for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of scourging for Arabic Speakers

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