1
: whip
especially
: one used to inflict pain or punishment
2
: an instrument of punishment or criticism
3
: a cause of wide or great affliction
scourged; scourging
scourger
noun
Synonyms
Examples of scourge in a Sentence
Noun
a city ravaged by the scourge of unemployment
The disease continues to be a scourge in the developing world.
Verb
a neighborhood scourged by crime
The prisoner was scourged with a whip.
Recent Examples on the Web
Mauricio Savarese and Gabriela Sá Pessoa, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2024
By being vigilant in their work and in watching what is going on around them, the good apples of the USPS could help stamp out this scourge.
— John Smyth, Towson
Add your voice: Respond to this piece or other Sun content by submitting your own letter.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for scourge 
Noun
While flooding that has devastated Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul state has yet to subside, another scourge has spread across the region: disinformation on social media that has hampered desperate efforts to get aid to hundreds of thousands in need.
—Mauricio Savarese and Gabriela Sá Pessoa, The Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2024
By being vigilant in their work and in watching what is going on around them, the good apples of the USPS could help stamp out this scourge.
— John Smyth, Towson
Add your voice: Respond to this piece or other Sun content by submitting your own letter.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 10 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for scourge
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'scourge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Scourge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scourge. Accessed 31 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
scourge
1 of 2 noun1
2
: someone or something that is an instrument of punishment or criticism
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