1. things that cause great trouble or suffering
Usage: plural of scourge

1. causes great trouble or suffering to; afflicts severely
Usage: third person singular present
2. beats with a whip as punishment
Usage: third person singular present; archaic

Examples

• Poverty and disease are scourges that affect millions worldwide.
• The drought scourges the farmland every few years.
• Natural disasters remain among humanity’s greatest scourges.
• War scourges entire populations, leaving lasting trauma.
• These economic problems are modern scourges of urban life.
• The epidemic scourges the region despite medical advances.
• Historical accounts describe how famine scourges medieval Europe.