purgatorial

adjective

pur·​ga·​to·​ri·​al ˌpər-gə-ˈtȯr-ē-əl How to pronounce purgatorial (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or suggestive of purgatory
2
: cleansing of sin : expiatory

Examples of purgatorial in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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There are moments, in director Joe Mantello’s grand and spare production, set in a kind of purgatorial garage, when Lane’s innate funnyman persona casts resonant shadows. Naveen Kumar, Variety, 10 Apr. 2026 The dark, moody atmosphere and soulful crooning has an air of the purgatorial to it. Joe Reid, Vulture, 10 Mar. 2026 Time may be the currency with which people are required to pay for their crimes, but as this gloomy two-hander confronts at every turn, the purgatorial nature of prison doesn’t excuse convicts from being subjected to its effects. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 25 Jan. 2026 Viewed from an especially merciless or purgatorial angle, certain strands of my life are little more than histories of lo-fi mendacity. James Parker, The Atlantic, 28 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for purgatorial

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of purgatorial was in the 15th century

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Cite this Entry

“Purgatorial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purgatorial. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.

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