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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scourges
Noun
-
As each year passes, the complexities of cybersecurity and the more sophisticated threats grow.—
Chuck Brooks,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024 -
Keeping your firmware up to date ensures you’re protected against the latest threats.—
Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report,
Fox News,
24 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
Development not only disturbs or destroys the soil, but wipes out habitat.—
Carl R. Gold,
Baltimore Sun,
30 Mar. 2025
-
First, allowing utilities to own generation destroys the competitive market.—
Mary Beth Tung,
Baltimore Sun,
27 Mar. 2025
Verb
-
Ellie hides her injury from Dina when her friend arrives to rescue her, and the women are summoned to appear before the town leaders to share their experience.—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
14 Apr. 2025
-
Ellie hides her injury from Dina when her friend arrives to rescue her, and the women are summoned to appear before the town leaders to share their experience.—
Sara Netzley,
EW.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
What's on the new menu Frontier slashes price of 2025 unlimited pass.—
Shawn Raymundo,
The Arizona Republic,
18 Dec. 2024
-
If one part of the country hunkers down and slashes spending at the mall or on vacations, that would hurt businesses and lead to layoffs.—
Matt Egan,
CNN,
9 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Scourges.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scourges. Accessed 18 Apr. 2025.
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