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
In January, the Duke Center for Misophonia and Emotion Regulation hosted a webinar, led by Zach Rosenthal, a professor and a clinical psychologist who would love to see misophonia released from medical purgatory.
—
Sloane Crosley, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
That chance for impact had slipped away in Cleveland as the Browns returned to quarterback purgatory.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 3 June 2026
But how can artists break out of this pop star purgatory?
—Brittany Luse, NPR, 29 May 2026
And the Mass, in its very Catholic nature, is really focused on … repose for the departed, to bring their souls from purgatory to heaven in the afterlife.
—Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for purgatory
Sloane Crosley, New Yorker, 8 June 2026
That chance for impact had slipped away in Cleveland as the Browns returned to quarterback purgatory.
—Nate Atkins, New York Times, 3 June 2026
But how can artists break out of this pop star purgatory?
—Brittany Luse, NPR, 29 May 2026
And the Mass, in its very Catholic nature, is really focused on … repose for the departed, to bring their souls from purgatory to heaven in the afterlife.
—Rod Stafford Hagwood, Sun Sentinel, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for purgatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purgatory
Noun
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The inferno killed 12 people, destroyed more than 6,500 structures across the Palisades and Malibu and caused billions of dollars in damage.—
James Queally,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
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The complaints also allege that sparking or downed power lines exacerbated the inferno.—
Tony Saavedra,
Daily News,
10 June 2026
Noun
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This is best for owners who want to offer a meaningful benefit to a growing team without the administrative nightmare of a full-scale corporate plan.—
Chris Kline,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
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That’s when the cleanup started…and when Scot Meisenheimer’s medical nightmares began.—
Dana Taylor,
USA Today,
12 June 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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There is a reason why, if and when a goal is scored in the opening game between Mexico and South Africa on Thursday afternoon, TV directors will focus on the scenes of agony and ecstasy both on the pitch and in the stands at Estadio Azteca.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
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Witnesses to previous nitrogen executions in Alabama have described the condemned in apparent agony.—
Abigail Brooks,
NBC news,
10 June 2026
Noun
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The show follows Pietro Savastano – a tough city kid from a poor neighborhood – who is set to enter the criminal underworld as a means of survival.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
12 June 2026
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As the stories converge over the course of the season, Demie’s Maddy Perez and Sweeney’s Cassie Howard also become wrapped up in his underworld.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Such is the blessing and curse of summer produce.—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
15 June 2026
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The Curse of Billy Penn lived on for decades, and now the modern-day Rocky statue curse appears to have claimed its latest victim.—
Tom Ignudo,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
Noun
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Politicians and pundits and former residents have battered New York City in recent years, branding our town as a symbol of a country gone to hell.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
14 June 2026
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Sunday will be one hell of a day for America, that is for sure.—
Austin Perry OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
Noun
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In the years since the tragic sequence of events, Griffin has attempted to move forward, but the ordeal still follows him.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
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Judge Andrew Fishkin’s ruling probably ends a months-long ordeal for the California woman, one of thousands adopted from abroad who were never granted citizenship because of bureaucratic loopholes between adoption and immigration law.—
Claire Galofaro,
Los Angeles Times,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Purgatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purgatory. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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