1
as in ravaging
to bring destruction to (something) through violent action
barbarians scourged the countryside, leaving village after village burned to the ground
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in whipping
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scourging
Verb
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Because the nerves were already ravaging his poise.—
Marcus Thompson II,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026 -
This is a chilling history of a problem still ravaging significant swaths of America — not to mention elsewhere in the world.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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By whipping or rapidly spinning fresh citrus juice, bartenders introduce air into the liquid, creating a thicker texture without adding additional ingredients.—
Kelly McGreal,
FOXNews.com,
15 Feb. 2026
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Scheffler began the final day eight shots behind and was 7 under through seven holes before the wind began whipping.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
15 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The firestorm ravaged Pacific Palisades and Altadena, killing 31, destroying more than 16,000 structures and contaminating others with toxins and heavy metals.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Special prosecutors indict Kim Keon Hee and former Prime Minister Han on charges of abetting Yoon’s imposition of martial law, falsifying and destroying official documents and lying under oath.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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For more wicker patio set deals hiding in plain sight, check out our favorites below from Walmart, West Elm, and beyond—and get ready for many afternoons spent enjoying your new outdoor oasis.—
Melanie Fincher,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 Feb. 2026
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Typically police will train on how to work their way through a building where a shooter could be hiding behind various doors or in rooms or stairways.—
Don Stacom,
Hartford Courant,
19 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Bass, politically bruised over her handling of last year’s devastating Palisades fire, now faces an insurgent campaign from one of the City Council’s savviest players.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Feb. 2026
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The front lobby of Unicoi County Hospital was wrecked by devastating flooding during Hurricane Helene in 2024.—
Brett Kelman,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Throughout the winter and early spring, Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was slashing the federal workforce, in part, by offering buyouts to career officials.—
Jonathan Blitzer,
New Yorker,
17 Feb. 2026
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New York — Advances in AI are unlikely to push down interest rates in the short term, a key Federal Reserve official said Tuesday — a stark contrast to Fed Chair nominee Kevin Warsh’s plan for slashing borrowing costs.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
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After being outplayed by the home side for nearly all of the first half, Leeds took only four minutes of the second period to take the lead, Lukas Nmecha lashing home brilliantly from the edge of the penalty area.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
15 Feb. 2026
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The carnivorous mammal's teeth-baring image suggests a wilderness pushed to the margins and lashing out.—
Felicia Feaster,
AJC.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Examples include a husband having the legal right to restrict his wife’s travel and employment, unequal divorce rights and punishment for appearing in public without a hijab ranging from fines to prison time to flogging.—
Ellie Austin,
Fortune,
21 Jan. 2026
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Others have called out the boring marketing campaign based around flogging variants in order for Swift to finally beat the record for the biggest opening sales week for a female artist in history (currently held by Adele, which she is likely projected to break).—
Bianca Davino,
Refinery29,
7 Oct. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Scourging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scourging. Accessed 23 Feb. 2026.
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