PURGATORY Synonyms: 65 Similar and Opposite Words

purgatory

noun

Definition of purgatory

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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Dissimilar Words

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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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of purgatory Cthulhu, who tricks the Minions into releasing his friends from purgatory. — Damon Wise, Deadline, 29 June 2026 For much of his life, the pastor considered his immigration status akin to a legal purgatory. — Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026 It was created by Congress, in 1990, to protect undocumented kids who ended up in the child-welfare system from being deported or getting stuck in a parentless purgatory. — E. Tammy Kim, New Yorker, 20 June 2026 As a passenger, what happens at one is not real life, but instead a purgatory between Here and There. — Bobby Finger june 16, Literary Hub, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for purgatory

Recent Examples of Synonyms for purgatory

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

Cryptocurrency firms are facing a nightmare scenario in the Senate, where the shaky state of the industry’s top priority is threatening its plans to unleash midterm campaign cash against its enemies.

— Eleanor Mueller, semafor.com, 29 July 2026
Victims who were injured in the shooting described panic attacks, nightmares and the fear that still follows them into classrooms, neighborhoods and even their own bedrooms.

— Alaa Elassar, CNN Money, 27 July 2026

Definition of nightmare

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 man with almost no injury was writhing in agony, while the man with a four-inch nail lodged near his brain kept working for six days, not even realizing the nail was there.

— Kevin Kruse, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Instead of wailing in agony after sampling the vengefully spiked bird, Prince fell in love with it and founded the BBQ Chicken Shack in 1945.

— Ellen Fort, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026

Definition of agony

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

King portrays her older daughter, Kylie, who sets out to break the family’s curse, and Williams steps into the shoes of the younger daughter, Antonia.

— Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 3 Aug. 2026
But the Owens family’s 300-year-old curse carries one generation forward, striking Sally’s daughter Kylie and her lover (Xolo Maridueña), who gets hit by a car while bicycling with several bouquets of roses.

— Angelique Jackson, Variety, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of curse

Noun

In Harrenhal, Aemond is plagued by nightmares of his (not) dead brother dragging him to hell.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 20 July 2026
After being a key to the victory of the Trojan War, Greek hero Odysseus (Matt Damon) goes to hell and back trying to get home to his wife (Anne Hathaway) and son (Tom Holland) in Nolan's brutal yet introspective adaptation of Homer's epic poem.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 17 July 2026

Definition of hell

Noun

The author, in her latest video on the falling-out with people on the project, hinted at a painful ordeal that unfolded on set, leaving fans scratching their heads and wondering what exactly happened and who was involved.

— Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026
Clase’s camp has blamed the whole ordeal on a misinterpretation of texts and calls pertaining to rooster fighting.

— Zack Meisel, New York Times, 28 July 2026

Definition of ordeal

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purgatory

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Cite this Entry

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“Purgatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purgatory. Accessed 4 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of purgatory

noun

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