1
as in inferno
a temporary place or state in which the souls of people who die make amends for their sins
It was a summer job that felt like purgatory to the teen.
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2
as in nightmare
a place or state of temporary suffering
We found ourselves trapped in the purgatory of a rush-hour traffic jam.
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of purgatory
And then there are buttons in purgatory.
—
Tc Sottek, The Verge, 27 May 2026
This scene, combined with another disturbing scene featuring Nikki talking in her sleep, suggests that she is possessed, or that her soul is trapped in a purgatory outside of her body.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Although a lot of software is still in AI-purgatory, stocks like FTNT, PANW and CRWD are clawing their way back.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 18 May 2026
That is a recipe for pilot purgatory.
—Drew Cukor, Fortune, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for purgatory
Tc Sottek, The Verge, 27 May 2026
This scene, combined with another disturbing scene featuring Nikki talking in her sleep, suggests that she is possessed, or that her soul is trapped in a purgatory outside of her body.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 20 May 2026
Although a lot of software is still in AI-purgatory, stocks like FTNT, PANW and CRWD are clawing their way back.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 18 May 2026
That is a recipe for pilot purgatory.
—Drew Cukor, Fortune, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for purgatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purgatory
Noun
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The complaints also allege that sparking or downed power lines exacerbated the inferno.—
Tony Saavedra,
Daily News,
10 June 2026
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That’s just in time for a firecracker-hot Independence Day holiday weekend, as Juliette has apparently survived season 2's airlock inferno thanks to her trusty fire-retardant suit and indomitable will.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
4 June 2026
Noun
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Doue and Dembele also drop into midfield, while Kvaratskhelia is his usual destructive self off the left, rounding off a nightmare of rotations and raw running power that tempts defences out of their shape before smashing through.—
Sarah Shephard,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
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The nightly variance in a league that shot 44 percent from the floor last season is a mathematical nightmare.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
29 May 2026
Noun
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The rules of this netherworld announce themselves, early on, via a nondescript wall sign.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
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Now, in an age of instant communications, their Cold War counterparts could nonetheless disappear into a covert netherworld, loosening Washington’s controls and freeing them to plot coups, mobilize armies, and install governments.—
Alfred McCoy,
Literary Hub,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Tony was in agony and there was a lot of blood.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
28 May 2026
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Jack Grealish had rolled on the floor in agony.—
Sam Lee,
New York Times,
25 May 2026
Noun
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But after cleaning house in the Windy City and establishing himself as the top dog of the criminal underworld, with a growing family to boot, will the allure of his past be enough to send him packing?—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
4 June 2026
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Then, any feeling of empowerment Rue got from her underworld dealings and religious inklings was squished by a Wire-ish cat-and-mouse game between her suppliers and their federal law-enforcement foils, leading to her death in the finale.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
Noun
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Chants laced with curses echo through Madison Square Garden.—
Albert Samaha,
Washington Post,
3 June 2026
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Courtside seats at Madison Square Garden for Games 3 and 4 will be the most expensive tickets in NBA history as the Knicks try to end their 53-year championship curse against the greatest physical force ever in basketball.—
Geoff Clark OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
2 June 2026
Noun
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For him and for a lot of artists and writers, seeing people experience your work in person—like being at a gallery opening with your own work on the walls and people spilling wine on it—is a kind of hell on earth.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 June 2026
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The Miami duo’s electrifying, boundary-bending combination of Haitian kompa, underground rap, reggaeton, electro-pop, and baile funk is loud as hell and rich in egalitarian spirit.—
Olivier Lafontant,
Pitchfork,
9 June 2026
Noun
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About four hours into the nightmare ordeal, Jimmy tried to escape by opening the front door, but Chavez shot him in the back.—
David Goodhue,
Miami Herald,
10 June 2026
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Garcia said the ordeal was a misunderstanding and that the restaurant has defamed him.—
Stephanie Breijo,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purgatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purgatory. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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