scourge
Cause of suffering
A scourge is a cause of widespread suffering or affliction: Famine was the scourge of the region, the scourge of addiction.
The word originally meant a whip used for punishment, and to scourge someone was to flog them.
The punitive sense survives in figurative use—a scourge devastates, it doesn't merely inconvenience.
Strike or bind
- flogBeat with a whip
- flagellateTo whip or scourge
- cat-o'-nine-tailsBraided whip with nine strands
- knoutLeather flogging implement
flail · bullwhip · rawhide · strap · thong · cord · birch · cane
Deadly epidemic disease
- blightPlant disease causing decay
- curseInvoked harm through words
- pestilenceFatal epidemic disease
- baneCause of destruction
menace · torment · misery · suffering · calamity · tribulation · woe · hardship
Widespread disease occurrence
- pandemicGlobal disease outbreak
- plagueDeadly epidemic disease
- contagionDisease spread by contact
- outbreakSudden eruption of trouble
pestilence · infection · virus · pathogen · cholera · typhoid · smallpox · tuberculosis
Oppressive, absolute governance
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
- subjugationForcing into submission
- enslavementForced human ownership
- dominationSupreme authority held
repression · brutality · cruelty · exploitation · dictatorship · despotism · totalitarianism · suppression
Formal scolding or correction
- castigationSevere verbal criticism
- disciplineTrained self-control or specialty
- correctionFixing of mistakes
- retributionPunishment for wrongdoing
penance · atonement · judgment · penalty · justice · sentence · condemnation · beating
One who harasses relentlessly
- tyrantCruel, absolute ruler
- oppressorOne who dominates cruelly
- despotRuler with absolute power
- torturerOne who inflicts agony
abuser · terrorizer · inquisitor · taskmaster · slave driver · overlord · dictator · sadist
lash
Strike or bind
- flogBeat with a whip
- flagellateTo whip or scourge
- cat-o'-nine-tailsBraided whip with nine strands
knout · flail · bullwhip · rawhide · strap · thong · cord · birch · cane · switch
plague
Deadly epidemic disease
- blightPlant disease causing decay
- curseInvoked harm through words
- pestilenceFatal epidemic disease
bane · menace · torment · misery · suffering · calamity · tribulation · woe · hardship · adversity
epidemic
Widespread disease occurrence
outbreak · pestilence · infection · virus · pathogen · cholera · typhoid · smallpox · tuberculosis · malaria
tyranny
Oppressive, absolute governance
- persecutionSystematic mistreatment of groups
- subjugationForcing into submission
- enslavementForced human ownership
domination · repression · brutality · cruelty · exploitation · dictatorship · despotism · totalitarianism · suppression · terror
chastisement
Formal scolding or correction
- castigationSevere verbal criticism
- disciplineTrained self-control or specialty
- correctionFixing of mistakes
retribution · penance · atonement · judgment · penalty · justice · sentence · condemnation · beating · flogging
persecutor
One who harasses relentlessly
torturer · abuser · terrorizer · inquisitor · taskmaster · slave driver · overlord · dictator · sadist · bully
- annoyancesannoyance, annoyances, irritations, irritation, nuisance
- flexible weaponsflail, nunchaku, nunchucks, chain whip, ball and chain
- plaguesBlack Death, bubonic plague, Black Plague, plague doctor, plague mask
- whipsbullwhip, horsewhip, riding crop, crop, lash
- martyr symbolspalm branch, halo, aureole, wheel, gridiron
- penance symbolssackcloth, ashes, hair shirt, kneeling, prostration