Tartarus

noun

Definition of Tartarusnext
as in underworld

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for Tartarus
  1. underworld
  2. netherworld
  3. inferno
  4. Sheol
  5. hades
  6. purgatory
Noun
  • Mafia romances are especially popular, delving into the gritty underworld of organized crime.
    — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 18 July 2026
  • Robert, the son of a more-like-a-brother cousin of Carney’s, disappears, and Carney sets out to find him, navigating the dual underworlds of Harlem crime and Queens politics.
    — David Hajdu, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
Definition of underworld
Noun
  • Alistair Taylor’s reward for accompanying him into this teenage netherworld was to be given lunch at his current favorite city-center restaurant, the Peacock.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2026
  • The rules of this netherworld announce themselves, early on, via a nondescript wall sign.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 10 Apr. 2026
Definition of netherworld
Noun
  • The infernos destroyed buildings and forests alike, where the epic heat wave in Europe has hit record levels in many parts of the bloc.
    — Simon Constable, FOXNews.com, 19 July 2026
  • Through the engine’s windows, the towering inferno can be seen raging through the treeline just a few feet away from the unmoving train, the world around them rendered completely orange.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 15 July 2026
Definition of inferno
Noun
  • The soul is the same one that ancient Egyptians called the ka, or that God promises the psalmist will be rescued from Sheol, or that lay dormant in the minds of so many contemporary American readers, waiting for the right sound to set it free.
    — Christian Wiman, Harper's Magazine, 2 Aug. 2024
Definition of Sheol
Noun
  • In the 1997 film, it's revealed that Meg sold her soul to Hades to save her boyfriend, who eventually left her for another woman.
    — Meredith Wilshere, People.com, 31 Aug. 2025
  • The seeds seal Persephone’s fate as one who must spend part of every year with Hades among the dead.
    — Demir Alp, JSTOR Daily, 29 Aug. 2025
Definition of hades
Noun
  • The Heat has not been on top since then, and, after four straight seasons in play-in purgatory, counted on James’ return to help end that drought.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 24 July 2026
  • If Jones, who’s on track to start in Week 1, can’t stay healthy again or his hot start from last year proves to be a fluke, then the Colts’ cycle of quarterback purgatory continues.
    — The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 20 July 2026
Definition of purgatory
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

Tartarean
Tartarus
tartish
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Cite this Entry

“Tartarus.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/Tartarus. Accessed 27 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on Tartarus

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about Tartarus

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