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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Recent Examples of purgatory
The last few seasons in play-in purgatory and this one out of the NBA playoffs entirely have made the last parade seem ever-distant and cast the next one in doubt.
—
Greg Cote
april 28, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
All of the cases remain in a form of purgatory, despite the high court leaving the question of whether adults under 21 years old are also entitled to the right to purchase and own firearms.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 25 Apr. 2026
Gaza remains in a state of purgatory, with millions of Palestinians still dealing with a humanitarian crisis and the future of the territory very much in doubt.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
In one infamous case out of Charlotte, then-murder suspect Devalos Perkins cycled between jail and mental health treatment for 11 years, stuck in a kind of legal purgatory.
—Charlotte Observer, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purgatory
Greg Cote
april 28, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
All of the cases remain in a form of purgatory, despite the high court leaving the question of whether adults under 21 years old are also entitled to the right to purchase and own firearms.
—Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 25 Apr. 2026
Gaza remains in a state of purgatory, with millions of Palestinians still dealing with a humanitarian crisis and the future of the territory very much in doubt.
—Daniel Depetris, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2026
In one infamous case out of Charlotte, then-murder suspect Devalos Perkins cycled between jail and mental health treatment for 11 years, stuck in a kind of legal purgatory.
—Charlotte Observer, 20 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for purgatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purgatory
Noun
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The fire is believed to have started in the kitchen on the second floor, but the cause of the inferno has not yet been determined, per CBS News.—
Latoya Gayle,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
-
Pratt took aim at Bass over the lack of water available during the inferno, with fire hydrants running dry.—
David Zahniser,
Los Angeles Times,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
On paper, the Pistons are a nightmare matchup for the Knicks.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
9 May 2026
-
On sacrificio, Garbán leads the way through an underworld fantasy and nightmare, using the night as a canvas for disruption, chaos, and softness.—
Marcos Sanoja,
Pitchfork,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
The rules of this netherworld announce themselves, early on, via a nondescript wall sign.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
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
-
Hidden is the agony of parents mourning the loss of their babies.—
Duaa Eldeib,
CNN Money,
8 May 2026
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This multi-generational story explores the beauty, agony, and hilarity of loving other people deeply.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
The thriller is set in London’s shadowy underworld.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
8 May 2026
-
The titular vampire gang has formed a band, and when its members start to shred, the stage sinks down to create a mosh pit—a hellish underworld into which victims later drop.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
As the moon meets Pluto, ultimate creative freedom can be a curse.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
Baseball has always been a sport that believes in the occult — in juju and curses and superstitions.—
Tim Rohan,
NBC news,
3 May 2026
Noun
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Maybe someday, someone will make a musical about a movie based on a musical that goes to hell when all of the top-level producers and creatives go to war against each other.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
12 May 2026
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The characters then cross the nine concentric circles of hell, beginning with Limbo and then various circles where the souls of those who commit different sins end up.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Manker said the ordeal left her family shaken.—
Christina Coulter,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
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The Hondius was now in a different kind of storm—an ordeal reminiscent of the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, with passengers mysteriously falling ill, health workers wearing hazmat suits, and governments imposing quarantines.—
Akash Kapur,
New Yorker,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purgatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purgatory. Accessed 15 May. 2026.
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