scourge
Americannoun
noun
-
a person who harasses, punishes, or causes destruction
-
a means of inflicting punishment or suffering
-
a whip used for inflicting punishment or torture
verb
-
to whip; flog
-
to punish severely
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of scourge
1175–1225; (noun) Middle English < Anglo-French escorge, derivative of escorgier to whip < Vulgar Latin *excorrigiāre, derivative of Latin corrigia thong, whip ( see ex- 1); (v.) Middle English < Old French escorgier
Explanation
If something makes people miserable or causes them great pain and torment, it's a scourge. A corrupt government is one kind of scourge, and a plague of insects that destroys a farmer's crops is another kind of scourge. Dating from the 13th century, scourge originally meant "a whip used as punishment." It wasn't long until the figurative meaning of "something causing pain or misery" became even more common. A scourge tends to be something that causes folks to suffer terribly, whether it's a tsunami or unjust laws. You can also use this word as a verb: "Cutting the city's transportation budget will do nothing but scourge people without cars."
Vocabulary lists containing scourge
"Of Mice and Men"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Beowulf
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
This Week in Words: September 8 - 14, 2018
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The hearing, “Confronting the Scourge of Antisemitism on Campus,” saw Democrats and Republicans agree that universities need to crack down on antisemitism in the wake of the Oct.
From Washington Times • Nov. 14, 2023
The movie also features voiceovers by major stars, including Oscar-winning “Everything Everywhere All at Once” actor Michelle Yeoh as Airazor and “Game of Thrones” actor Peter Dinklage as the villain Scourge.
From Reuters • May 9, 2023
Barrett's character was romantically linked to Bill Murray's Dr. Peter Venkman in the previous films, and in the second movie, her son Oscar was attacked by an ancient evil Vigo, the Scourge of Carpathia.
From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 25, 2015
Stop the Scourge of Wedding Presents They’re outdated, inefficient, unfair, and unnecessary.
From Slate • Jun. 11, 2013
“Here’s a rat who doesn’t think I lead my horde. Cluny the Scourge sees and hears all. Watch now, and let this be a lesson to anyone that dares doubt me.”
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
