Wormwood Scrubs is a specific name, therefore it doesn't really have synonyms. However, if we take the word 'wormwood' or 'scrubs' in isolation, there are other words that could be used as synonyms. For example, the word 'wormwood' could be substituted with 'absinthe' or 'bitter' and the word 'scrubs' could be replaced with 'brush', 'thicket', or 'bushes'. However, these substitutions would change the meaning of the original phrase. Wormwood Scrubs is a prison in West London, UK where convicts are incarcerated. The name Wormwood Scrubs is derived from the scrubby nature of the local land and the wormwood herb which once grew abundantly.