purgatory

noun

pur·​ga·​to·​ry ˈpər-gə-ˌtȯr-ē 

plural purgatories

1

: an intermediate state after death for expiatory purification

specifically : a place or state of punishment wherein according to Roman Catholic doctrine the souls of those who die in God's grace may make satisfaction for past sins and so become fit for heaven

2

: a place or state of temporary suffering or misery

Did you know?

Purgatory is the place where the soul is cleansed of all impurities, as Dante described in his great poem The Divine Comedy. Today purgatory can refer to any place or situation in which suffering and misery are felt to be sharp but temporary. Waiting to hear the results of a test, or whether you got a good job, can be a purgatory. And an endless after-dinner speech can make an entire roomful of people feel as if they're in purgatory.

Examples of purgatory in a Sentence

the purgatory of drug abuse

The marathons were jokingly referred to as one-day purgatories.

Recent Examples on the Web

Footage of gamers struggling to build simple structures, or watching elaborate builds conjured before their eyes, are like watching someone trapped in a cursed Minecraft that exists in purgatory, with players never able to see their efforts come together into something coherent. —Dani Di Placido, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024

Some may one day become movies or TV shows, most will linger forever in studio purgatory, but all were optioned for the screen. —Simon Van Zuylen-Wood, Vulture, 1 Nov. 2024

And by 2022, after years in retail purgatory, Abercrombie & Fitch revenues finally rebounded to 2014 levels. —Phil Wahba, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2024

Almost 10 years later, Young Thug is caught in legal purgatory fighting a RICO case brought on by the state of Georgia, and, now, Rich Homie Quan is dead at the age of 34. —Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 6 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French or Medieval Latin; Anglo-French purgatorie, from Medieval Latin purgatorium, from Late Latin, neuter of purgatorius purging, from Latin purgare

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

purgatory

noun

pur·​ga·​to·​ry ˈpər-gə-ˌtōr-ē 

-ˌtȯr-

plural purgatories

: a state after death in which according to Roman Catholic belief the souls of those who die in God's grace are purified of their sins by suffering