scourge
noun
a whip or lash, especially for the infliction of punishment or torture.
scourges
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pluralof scourge.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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present tense formof scourge (3rd person singular).present tense
Used to describe things happening now or regularly.
scourgenouna whip or lash, especially for the infliction of punishment or torture.
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 scourges of terrorism and antisemitism are shared, international challenges and need concerted and determined action to defeat them," it added.
From BBC ● Dec. 14, 2025
Yet these scourges aren’t unique to Mexico, the author points out—they exist around the world, even in “the countries that pride themselves on being the democracies par excellence.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 14, 2025
A better social safety net to end this and other scourges of poverty is in order.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 23, 2024
Though we might assume Elmo is unencumbered by society’s scourges in the same way we are, it’s worth reminding ourselves that he’s partly assuming some of that baggage for us.
From Salon ● Feb. 3, 2024
Searching for precedents, the foresters could remember other scourges of spider mites, though less dramatic than this one.
From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson
