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Scourge (Verb)

Whip; "The religious fanatics flagellated themselves".

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging.

The priest would scourge his back with brutal strokes of the flail, crying out in ecstasy and pain.
Flagellants went from town to town scourging themselves as a sign of penance for their sins.
The members of the mystical sect would scourge one another with thorny whips to achieve spiritual enlightenment.
In a display of fervent devotion, the pilgrims publicly scourged themselves to atone for their transgressions.
Flogged by a censer-wielding zealot, the monk scourged his own flesh until it was raw and bloody.

Cause extensive destruction or ruin utterly; "The enemy lay waste to the countryside after the invasion".

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc..

The disease scourged the small village, leaving behind only a few survivors and devastated homes.
Years of war had scourged the once-thriving city, leaving only ruins and rubble in its wake.
Climate change continues to scourge the world's coastlines with powerful storms and rising sea levels.
Droughts have scourged the otherwise fertile lands of the region, leading to severe food and water shortages.
The plague scourged the crowded city, overwhelming its medical facilities and spreading fear among its residents.

Punish severely; excoriate.

Verbs of political and social activities and events.

The critic's harsh review would scourge the film director's reputation for years to come.
Her father's inability to forgive her past mistakes continued to scourge her conscience.
The unforgiving public scrutiny would scourge the politician for his recent scandalous affair.
The community leaders decided to scourge the neighborhood of crime by introducing stricter safety measures.
Her teacher's scathing remarks would scourge her academic record, leaving her struggling to recover.