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
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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
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
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
Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 31 May 2026
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
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
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
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
-
In our study, leadership included the speaker, party leaders, whips, caucus or conference chairs, and committee chairs or ranking members.—
Mayank Kejriwal,
The Conversation,
10 June 2026
-
And when the wind whips, the air reeks of a potent campfire — but no campers are around.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
The actors played each other's nemeses in the comedy series created by and starring Seth Rogen.—
Marina Watts,
Entertainment Weekly,
9 June 2026
-
The New York Yankees continue to be the Kansas City Royals’ nemeses.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
25 May 2026
Noun
-
At defensive corners, Salah normally assumes a blocking role, tasked with disrupting the runs of key opposition aerial threats.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
12 Dec. 2025
-
The Indiana Senate rejected mid-decade redistricting today, capping off a bitter state fight for control of Congress that has divided the GOP, spurred violent threats and dramatically changed the political landscape ahead of the midterm elections.—
Marissa Meador,
IndyStar,
12 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Wildfire ravages Simi Valley as evacuations are underway.—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
20 May 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
Verb
-
Signature shareable paellas and housemade sangria pitchers are must-tries across its three San Antonio locations—one of which hides the popular underground speakeasy, Cellar Mixology.—
Kat Stinson,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Dec. 2025
-
But behind his friendly smile hides a deep pain.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
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.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
4 June 2026
-
He is occasionally asked to comment on acts of public violence, compelled to defend the many vigilantes who have appeared in his wake.—
Kevin Lozano,
Harpers Magazine,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
The actresses play the delightful mother-daughter duo Angela and Ainsley — who are oftentimes the banes of Tommy's (Billy Bob Thornton) existence — in the Taylor Sheridan series.—
Julia Moore,
PEOPLE,
28 Dec. 2025
-
But along with ready cash, the laissez-faire approach brought the banes of corruption, criminal infiltration, and rampant pollution.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
But when a fire destroys part of Al’s home and a hard drive goes missing, mistrust begins to breed between the two, drawing in Peck’s teenage daughter Sara and threatening to undo both their relationship and their role in a larger criminal enterprise.—
Erik Pedersen,
Oc Register,
7 Aug. 2025
-
During the surgery, the doctor cuts, clips, or destroys a part of the nerve pathway that controls sweating in your hands.—
Brandi Jones,
Health,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scourges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scourges. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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