as in lame
arousing or deserving of one's loathing and disgust
after winning the lottery, she was beset by a whole scurvy swarm of con artists, ne'er-do-wells, and hangers-on
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Recent Examples of scurvy
Perhaps best known as a immune-system boost or antidote to scurvy, vitamin C has been found to rejuvenate aging skin by reactivating genes responsible for cell growth.
—
New Atlas, 6 July 2025
The latest research indicates that the men split into groups sometime after April 1848, with some parties surviving longer than others but all ultimately dying of starvation, scurvy, exposure, physical exhaustion and chronic illnesses, among other causes.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 May 2025
William and his assistants were nonetheless able to build solid pillars of data, mass death broken down into discrete numerals to represent sexes, ages, locations, seasons, years, and causes of mortality, which included starvation, scurvy, dysentery, cholera, typhus, and relapsing fever.
—Fintan O'Toole, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
In the Age of Sail, mercury was used on ships to treat fever, scurvy, constipation, and more, often in the form of calomel, or mercurous chloride.
—Sallie Tisdale, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for scurvy
New Atlas, 6 July 2025
The latest research indicates that the men split into groups sometime after April 1848, with some parties surviving longer than others but all ultimately dying of starvation, scurvy, exposure, physical exhaustion and chronic illnesses, among other causes.
—Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 May 2025
William and his assistants were nonetheless able to build solid pillars of data, mass death broken down into discrete numerals to represent sexes, ages, locations, seasons, years, and causes of mortality, which included starvation, scurvy, dysentery, cholera, typhus, and relapsing fever.
—Fintan O'Toole, The New Yorker, 10 Mar. 2025
In the Age of Sail, mercury was used on ships to treat fever, scurvy, constipation, and more, often in the form of calomel, or mercurous chloride.
—Sallie Tisdale, Harper's Magazine, 2 Dec. 2024
See All Example Sentences for scurvy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scurvy
Adjective
-
And getting all giddy over some lame light beer that has apple juice poured into to is just plain embarrassing.—
Zach Dean OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
-
This idea that just sitting with your face buried in your phone when you’re supposed to be in a social setting—that’s lame, right?—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
There’s a mentality problem — that’s highlighted by a pitiful return of just one point out of a possible 24 away from home this season against teams in the top nine.—
James Pearce,
New York Times,
16 May 2026
-
Will the harsh weather mean poor growth and pitiful harvests?—
Gemma Johnstone,
The Spruce,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Everything in this screen world is heightened, slightly off-kilter, but entirely plausible (with the exception being Ruby’s wretched body, still burning after all these years).—
Katie Walsh,
Boston Herald,
15 May 2026
-
Yes, it’s mostly wretched, but once in a great while there will be a song that’s actually not autotuned.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
The reason all of this is happening, probably more than any other, is that clipping is cheap.—
Lane Brown,
Vulture,
15 May 2026
-
Surprisingly the most expensive hairpiece so far has been Attenborough’s, which Fortune reveals was a hybrid of a cheap £20 ($26) wig at the back combined with tens of man-hours knotting individual strands of hair onto a lace front to create the centenarian’s familiar pate.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Drain Mats Kitchen sinks may be dirty, but your drain mat is downright nasty.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
15 May 2026
-
But facing the Jaguars after the Chiefs and before the Rams is nasty business.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Microwaves seem to get dirty out of nowhere.—
Natalia Gonzalez Blanco Serrano,
The Spruce,
11 May 2026
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But the dirty secret is most of them are awful.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
11 May 2026
Adjective
-
Rob-Will, don’t be mean to our BFF Azul!—
William Earl,
Variety,
15 May 2026
-
With a mix of personalities, relationship histories and different forms of dwarfism, the group explores what love, honesty and truly belonging really mean.—
Brenton Blanchet,
PEOPLE,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
How on Earth could this Wild team, after dominating the first period and taking a 3-0 lead with a chance to keep its season alive and force a Game 6, collapse in such an absolutely disgusting fashion?—
Michael Russo,
New York Times,
14 May 2026
-
Just days ago, the CDC announced that over 100 passengers and more than a dozen crew members on a different ship, the Caribbean Princess, have been infected by norovirus—a less fatal but more disgusting illness.—
Hillary Busis,
Vanity Fair,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Scurvy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scurvy. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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