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
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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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of scourge
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2026
Ukraine has offered assistance to countries throughout the Gulf dealing with a scourge of Iranian drone attacks and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Saudi Arabia.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 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
Greenhouses provide protection from scourges like tomato blight, which ravages otherwise beautiful crops in areas with cool, rainy weather.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 1 Apr. 2026
Ukraine has offered assistance to countries throughout the Gulf dealing with a scourge of Iranian drone attacks and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky was in Saudi Arabia.
—Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 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
-
As majority whip, Barrasso is responsible for firming up Republican support, while Graham is ushering the legislation along as chairman of the Senate Budget Committee.—
David Sivak,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Politics whip right and left, winds through a canyon.—
Lauren Villagran,
USA Today,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The film also stars Jared Leto as He-Man’s evil nemesis, Skeletor.—
Erin Clements,
PEOPLE,
16 Apr. 2026
-
So have their nemeses in the LAPD.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Tens of millions of downloads deep, among discussions regarding ongoing bear curses and the quiet art of being a decent person, Drew Barrymore has asked about boogers and Jane Fonda has asked about hope.—
Brittany Delay,
Mercury News,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Your precision is a gift, not a curse.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Still, Monday’s earthquake and tsunami warning were a reminder to the quake-prone area of the March 2011 disaster that ravaged large swaths of the northern coast, triggering a nuclear crisis in Fukushima.—
Mari Yamaguchi,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Apr. 2026
-
The Thunder dug in their heels through two Game 7s, a title run and a season of ravaging injury luck.—
Joel Lorenzi,
New York Times,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Neither made any attempt to hide their contempt for the other from the media or the public.—
Scott M. Reid,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Unlike other bands who have used a hiatus as an excuse to hide acrimony, James says the members went their separate ways with zero animosity.—
Daniel Kohn,
Rolling Stone,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The purse is made from sleek, faux leather and comes with a detachable and adjustable crossbody strap (in addition to the top handle) for styling versatility.—
Averi Baudler,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
-
It can be initially looped into the chin straps of any third-party helmet, and subsequently be popped open or snapped closed with one hand.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Yet the vigilantes went too far, and labor organizations called on the state government to intervene.—
Amelia Soth,
JSTOR Daily,
15 Apr. 2026
-
Karl Urban as Billy Butcher Karl Urban has starred as Billy Butcher, leader of the titular vigilante group, since season 1.—
Jessica Sager,
PEOPLE,
9 Apr. 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 22 Apr. 2026.
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