1
as in whips
a long thin or flexible tool for striking
the museum display included a scourge, thumbscrews, and other notorious instruments of torture
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in nemeses
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 curses
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 ravages
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 hides
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 scourges
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
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
Measles, among the most contagious diseases, is typically the first to infect undervaccinated communities and serves as a warning that other scourges will follow.
—
Patricia Callahan,
ProPublica,
19 Mar. 2026
What the novel is working toward is not the exposure of a violation, let alone the processing of any real-life event, but a recognition of the self—a self who survives the scourges of childhood, and a storytelling-self who learns that fiction can reveal otherwise unsayable truths.
—
Honor Jones,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
With new funding, America can continue to lead the historic effort to eliminate ancient scourges.
—
Stewart Simonson,
Washington Post,
2 Mar. 2026
The administration abruptly halted USAID's global health work, which had saved millions of lives from scourges like AIDS, malaria and malnutrition over the course of six decades.
—
Npr Staff,
NPR,
23 Jan. 2026
At the film’s outset, Inez kidnaps her young son Terry from foster care shortly after her release from prison, and A Thousand and One chronicles her attempt to parent despite the scourges of abuse, police brutality and systemic racism.
—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
18 Oct. 2025
First each member, in turn, would prostrate himself while the others, marching in a circle, stepped over him and struck him with their scourges.
—
Michael Robbins,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2026
Noun
For more than a decade, YouTube has faced its fair share of scourges, including accusations of radicalizing users or harming their mental well-being.
—
Danielle Chemtob,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
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
Measles, among the most contagious diseases, is typically the first to infect undervaccinated communities and serves as a warning that other scourges will follow.
—
Patricia Callahan,
ProPublica,
19 Mar. 2026
What the novel is working toward is not the exposure of a violation, let alone the processing of any real-life event, but a recognition of the self—a self who survives the scourges of childhood, and a storytelling-self who learns that fiction can reveal otherwise unsayable truths.
—
Honor Jones,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
With new funding, America can continue to lead the historic effort to eliminate ancient scourges.
—
Stewart Simonson,
Washington Post,
2 Mar. 2026
The administration abruptly halted USAID's global health work, which had saved millions of lives from scourges like AIDS, malaria and malnutrition over the course of six decades.
—
Npr Staff,
NPR,
23 Jan. 2026
At the film’s outset, Inez kidnaps her young son Terry from foster care shortly after her release from prison, and A Thousand and One chronicles her attempt to parent despite the scourges of abuse, police brutality and systemic racism.
—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
18 Oct. 2025
First each member, in turn, would prostrate himself while the others, marching in a circle, stepped over him and struck him with their scourges.
—
Michael Robbins,
Harpers Magazine,
20 Aug. 2025
Verb
An expensive dollar also scourges industries that compete with imports.
—
Edward Lotterman,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scourges
Noun
-
The unrest began in mid-March but has intensified, leaving at least three dead as vigilantes armed with spears, clubs, and whips assaulted migrants and destroyed their homes.
-
In grainy videos, marchers, sometimes draped in South African flags and carrying clubs and leather whips, smashed shop windows and beat migrants in the streets.
Noun
-
Lucy Hutton and Joshua Templeton are workplace nemeses who serve as executive assistants to co-CEOs of a publishing company.
-
The actors played each other's nemeses in the comedy series created by and starring Seth Rogen.
Noun
-
Morgan and her Judgment Day cronies tried to bribe Danhausen to put curses on their opponents.
-
In baseball, curses are no joking matter, and the Curse of the FTD Burger might now have befallen the team.
Verb
-
Wildfire ravages Simi Valley as evacuations are underway.
-
Greenhouses provide protection from scourges like tomato blight, which ravages otherwise beautiful crops in areas with cool, rainy weather.
Verb
-
Below the dash, the center console is simplified with a small panel of control buttons, a wireless phone charge pad, cup holders and an arm rest that hides a bit of storage space.
-
Other supplements come in gelatin capsules, made from collagen derived from cow and pig bones and hides, or mixed with dairy binders such as lactose and sodium caseinate.
Noun
-
The unrest began in mid-March but has intensified, leaving at least three dead as vigilantes armed with spears, clubs, and whips assaulted migrants and destroyed their homes.
-
For a storyteller whose works revolve around complicated or slippery romances, life-altering revelations, and fateful everyday encounters, the brutality of the mafia and New York City street vigilantes feels far removed from her own.
Noun
-
When Doncic played for the Dallas Mavericks and led them to the 2024 NBA Finals, his two centers — Derek Lively and Daniel Gafford — were exceptional in their roles as lob threats, blocking shots and rolling to the rim.
-
Police said they were notified Monday about the threats, which were directed at the center in the 27000 block of Dequindre Road.
Verb
-
What starts as a series that aims to subvert the heist genre at every turn – amped with thrilling life-or-death stakes, family dynamics, and explosive action – gives birth to an exploration of what drives us, sustains us, and ultimately destroys us.
-
Arrrives, destroys Femi and hands Main Event Jey the crown.
Cite this Entry
“Scourges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scourges. Accessed 2 Jul. 2026.
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