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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
The internal affairs complaint that follows will likely join thousands of others in administrative purgatory.
—
Natasha Dartigue, Baltimore Sun, 23 Apr. 2025
So while federal prohibition keeps the United States stuck in legal purgatory, cannabis is scaling across continents, becoming pharmaceutical, industrial and increasingly normalized.
—Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
An announced Waititi film similarly seems to be trapped in development purgatory.
—Eliana Dockterman, Time, 22 Apr. 2025
Whether the Steelers land Rodgers or not, the team knows its best path out of QB purgatory is to find a reliable, young passer.
—Dane Brugler, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for purgatory
Natasha Dartigue, Baltimore Sun, 23 Apr. 2025
So while federal prohibition keeps the United States stuck in legal purgatory, cannabis is scaling across continents, becoming pharmaceutical, industrial and increasingly normalized.
—Javier Hasse, Forbes.com, 22 Apr. 2025
An announced Waititi film similarly seems to be trapped in development purgatory.
—Eliana Dockterman, Time, 22 Apr. 2025
Whether the Steelers land Rodgers or not, the team knows its best path out of QB purgatory is to find a reliable, young passer.
—Dane Brugler, New York Times, 14 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for purgatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purgatory
Noun
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Achieving the effect required precise teamwork—all while the actor navigated the growing inferno.—
JP Mangalindan,
Time,
4 June 2025
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As images of the inferno and its aftermath circulated, some took to social media to bemoan the loss while others celebrated its destruction.—
Bracey Harris,
NBC news,
25 May 2025
Noun
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For rule-followers like me, the prankster types were a nightmare.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
7 June 2025
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Left-hander Reid Detmers, whose three-game nightmare stretch a month ago began with a game in Seattle, struck out two in a scoreless inning, including Mariners star Cal Raleigh.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
7 June 2025
Noun
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The other two-thirds are on a scale of anxiously hopeful to beyond desperate -- an amorphous netherworld of doubt that, yes, includes the Miami Dolphins with Tua Tagovailoa, or should.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
3 Apr. 2025
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But the film comes into its own at almost exactly an hour, as The Man begins the ritual and The Surrender threatens to go full occult gonzo, complete with a charmed circle and a bleak netherworld resembling Lucio Fulci’s 1981 splatter epic The Beyond.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
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And that gave him some kind of legitimacy after 40 years of agony, derided by the music press.—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2025
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For more than a year, the Perry family waited in agony for answers.—
Christina Coulter,
People.com,
7 June 2025
Noun
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Based on a webtoon called Mercy For None: Plaza Wars, the Netflix noir follows the vengeance campaign of Nam Gi-jun (Doctor Lawyer’s So Ji-sub), a former key member of Seoul’s criminal underworld.—
Kayti Burt,
Time,
6 June 2025
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Detectives believe his connections with the criminal underworld in Thailand may have begun during his 2019 spell there playing for PTT Rayong.—
Stuart James,
New York Times,
6 June 2025
Noun
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The sheer volume of deals promoted by Amazon during sales like Prime Day is a blessing and a curse.—
Louryn Strampe,
Wired News,
12 June 2025
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No conference in major college football can match the Big 12 for parity, which is both a blessing and curse.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
6 June 2025
Noun
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But even the flames of hell can’t keep Southerners away from our beloved summer desserts.—
Josh Miller,
Southern Living,
1 June 2025
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Minnesota’s high-pressure defense made Oklahoma City’s life hell in the Wolves’ dominant win Saturday.—
Jace Frederick,
Twin Cities,
25 May 2025
Noun
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One victim, the father of a crypto millionaire, was allegedly held for days in a house south of Paris — and reportedly had a finger severed during the ordeal.—
MacKenzie Sigalos,
CNBC,
7 June 2025
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Do your part and trust the process During Abraham’s challenging ordeal, his wife was also being tested.—
Monica Haider,
CNN Money,
6 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Purgatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purgatory. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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