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
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
Individualism, selfishness—these are scourges for your team’s success.
—Don Yaeger, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 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
The vaccination schedule for infants and children has been updated throughout the years as new shots become available, offering better protection against childhood scourges.
—Andrea Kane, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2025
Noun
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
Individualism, selfishness—these are scourges for your team’s success.
—Don Yaeger, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 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
The vaccination schedule for infants and children has been updated throughout the years as new shots become available, offering better protection against childhood scourges.
—Andrea Kane, CNN Money, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scourges
Noun
-
Some white parents beat their children with the same whips the apartheid police used in Black neighborhoods.—
Eve Fairbanks,
The Dial,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Sticks, staff, swords, sabers, whips or scepters including extendable items.—
Ed Masley,
AZCentral.com,
22 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
By fighting for fairness and equality, while simultaneously asking us to care for others with compassion and empathy (sharing this with our frenemies and nemeses will be hard, but valuable in teaching them to be kind).—
Lisa Stardust,
Refinery29,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Lesbian agitators, such as Good, are its nemeses.—
Ta-Nehisi Coates,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Gamers will know Brok as the beloved weapons dealer with an unrivaled artistry for creative, foul-mouthed curses.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
30 Jan. 2026
-
In Jujutsu Kaisen, heroic jujutsu sorcerers wage war against demonic creatures called curses and the curse users, who wield jujutsu powers for evil.—
Eric Vilas-Boas,
Vulture,
1 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Published in 1842, Poe’s story follows Prince Prospero, who retreats with a group of nobles into a fortified abbey as a deadly plague ravages the countryside.—
Matt Grobar,
Deadline,
20 Jan. 2026
-
This horror ravages Africa far beyond Nigeria.—
Nuri Kino,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
That’s why scrolling by date and scrubbing through videos still works — search hides uncertainty, scrolling shows everything.—
Ken Colburn,
AZCentral.com,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The one is Sohni Ammi, her feisty mother-in-law, whose sharp tongue hides a big heart, while the other is Bholi, a quiet and wise neighbor.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The southern United States under the Jim Crow system of segregation, for example, was governed by a form of racial fascism premised not on a single powerful leader, but on decentralized groups of vigilantes and terrorists.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Peaceful Civil Rights-era marches and protests often turned into bloody, brutal and murderous affairs, fueled by inhumane law enforcement tactics and vigilantes operating with impunity.—
Lorraine Ali,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This email was sent in the context of advice the duchess was given to try to assuage Epstein and his threats.—
Lauryn Overhultz , Ashley Papa , Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
According to court documents, Shadbar became agitated and threatened to kill the family, using a racist slur in his threats, presumably directed at Robertson’s sons who are Black.—
Michelle Mullins,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The rising trend was driven by wellness influencers and raw milk advocates who believe that the pasteurization process destroys bioactives, which are chemicals found in plants and certain foods that promote good health.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Composting leaves destroys juglone in 6 to 12 months, but hulls take much longer.—
Barbara Gillette,
The Spruce,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scourges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scourges. Accessed 8 Feb. 2026.
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