1
as in whip
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 nemesis
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 curse
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 to ravage
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 to whip
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of scourge
Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
Canada has made vital progress to stop the scourge…
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) July 11, 2025
At a G7 summit in June, Carney and Trump agreed to a 30-day window to finalize a deal, but those talks appear to have stalled.
—Jordan King
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 9 Mar. 2023
Of all the fearful diseases that scourge the human race, this ranks among those that are justly feared most.
—Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 2 Nov. 2021
See All Example Sentences for scourge
Noun
Vector control officials have sought to beat back the scourge, galvanized by the unhappy residents and fear of spiking disease that’s starting to be realized.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2025
Canada has made vital progress to stop the scourge…
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) July 11, 2025
At a G7 summit in June, Carney and Trump agreed to a 30-day window to finalize a deal, but those talks appear to have stalled.
—Jordan King
shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025
Verb
Like its American rival, the Tiger was initially intended to scourge Soviet tank battalions, but was refashioned for multi-role capabilities.
—Sébastien Roblin, Popular Mechanics, 9 Mar. 2023
Of all the fearful diseases that scourge the human race, this ranks among those that are justly feared most.
—Mark Fischetti, Scientific American, 2 Nov. 2021
See All Example Sentences for scourge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scourge
Noun
-
Tillis is also no longer an official member of Republican leadership, having been replaced on Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso’s (R-Wyo.) whip team by Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), who is viewed as an up-and-comer in the conference.—
Al Weaver,
The Hill,
12 July 2025
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This mixer comes with essential attachments like a coated flat beater, coated dough hook, six-wire whip and a pouring shield.—
Nora Colomer
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Kelly and Jack’s Fight About Christina Aguilera Kelly, now 40, and Jack got into a drag-out fight when Jack danced with Kelly’s nemesis — Christina Aguilera — in season 2.—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
22 July 2025
-
Marvel has made clear that the studio is preparing the Fantastic Four’s most iconic nemesis, Dr. Doom, for a forthcoming film, but the planet-obliterating combo of Galactus and Silver Surfer hardly feel like second best.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
22 July 2025
Noun
-
This is both a blessing and a curse in the list production process.—
Maggie McGrath,
Forbes.com,
30 July 2025
-
And after that, the Kennedy curse became this sort of wide-ranging explanation for a lot of things that were happening.—
Andrea Wurzburger,
People.com,
16 July 2025
Verb
-
Photograph by Matt Ramey / Redux Chased by Climate Disaster in North Carolina Just days after floods ravaged Texas, Tropical Storm Chantal dumped ten inches of rain on parts of central North Carolina, closing hundreds of roads and killing several people.—
Ian Crouch,
New Yorker,
15 July 2025
-
There, the couple encountered stories of e-waste dumps and communities ravaged by global tech’s hidden costs.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
More recently, Geran variants painted black with special material to hide from radar fly higher and with tortuous routes to evade Ukrainian defense teams.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
1 Aug. 2025
-
Stilwell recalls immediately tearing up, but wanting to hide it from the mother and the boy so as not to freak them out.—
Tabitha Parent,
People.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
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With adjustable straps, a lightweight cork sole, and a soft leather upper, these sandals are the perfect comfortable choice for any trip.—
Lola Méndez,
Travel + Leisure,
23 July 2025
-
The sandals have a sturdy thong-style strap, a soft rubber footbed, and a non-slip sole.—
Nicol Natale,
People.com,
23 July 2025
Noun
-
Comment threads, whether on public forums or a closed, women-only dating safety app, welcome, and even invite, vigilante justice.—
Elliot Williams,
CNN Money,
25 July 2025
-
Think Batman set in the slums of Georgian London; Maximus is a literal Duke by day and vigilante by night, obsessed with avenging the death of his parents.—
American Booksellers Association,
USA Today,
25 July 2025
Noun
-
Be More Aggressive About Debt Elimination While not all debt is bad, high-interest ones, such as credit cards, personal loans, or payday loans, can be the bane of your wealth building and retirement planning efforts.—
True Tamplin,
Forbes.com,
18 July 2025
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There was a time when the Mojito was the bane of bartenders back in the early aughts when the drink was popular but the craft cocktail movement hadn’t really found its sea legs yet.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
11 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Scourge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scourge. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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