plural scourges
1
formal + literary
: someone or something that causes a great amount of trouble or suffering
a city ravaged by the scourge of unemployment/poverty
The disease continues to be a scourge in the developing world.
Spelling is the scourge of learners of English. [=spelling is very difficult for people who are learning English]
2
: a whip that was used to punish people in the past
scourges; scourged; scourging
formal + literary
1
: to cause a lot of trouble or suffering for (someone or something)
a neighborhood scourged by crime
2
: to hit (someone) with a whip as punishment
The prisoner was scourged with a whip.
Cite this Entry
“Scourge.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/scourge. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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