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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples 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
Too often stuck in football purgatory, the Steelers appear again to be good enough to keep Tomlin’s non-losing season streak alive, but not good enough to make noise in the playoffs.
—
Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
If everyone is in purgatory, how can Heather come and go?
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 29 Dec. 2024
If there’s a way out of his purgatory, no one can see it, the mounting defeats and shortage of high-end talent obscuring the path ahead.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024
The 27-year-old is stuck in substitution purgatory, waiting and watching Villa achieve new heights.
—Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for purgatory 
Jeff Zrebiec, The Athletic, 10 Jan. 2025
If everyone is in purgatory, how can Heather come and go?
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 29 Dec. 2024
If there’s a way out of his purgatory, no one can see it, the mounting defeats and shortage of high-end talent obscuring the path ahead.
—Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 2 Dec. 2024
The 27-year-old is stuck in substitution purgatory, waiting and watching Villa achieve new heights.
—Jacob Tanswell, The Athletic, 13 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for purgatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purgatory
Noun
-
For homeowners in Illinois and across the country, the Getty’s resilience against the inferno holds important lessons.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Jan. 2025
-
Many never left and miraculously survived the inferno that stormed through Eaton Canyon and headed toward their suburban streets.—
Nicholas Bogel-Burroughs,
New York Times,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Title nightmare On a recent morning, Wade Clark stood in front of the shell of what used to be his home in Clearwater.—
Ben Wieder,
Miami Herald,
26 Jan. 2025
-
But the fairytale turns into a nightmare when Ivan’s handler (Karren Karagulian) and henchman (Yura Borisov) enter the picture.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
26 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Below that is the Futures tour, tennis’s vast netherworld of more than 2,000 true prospects and hopeless dreamers.—
Carolyn Wells,
Longreads,
8 July 2024
-
Tells Real-Life Tales of the Country's Most Notorious Motorcycle Gang 'Dune: Part Two' Is Bigger, Bolder — and Yes, Even Better — Than Part One Lyons’ book also utilized a long, taped conversation with Kathy Bauer, the real-life Benny’s wife, as a dispatch from this dirty-fingernail netherworld.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
21 June 2024
Noun
-
Ohio State had several years of agony fueling its CFP run, and the 2025 season will be Penn State’s turn to attempt something similar.—
Austin Meek,
The Athletic,
22 Jan. 2025
-
After 15 months of agony, the potential Gaza ceasefire comes as a colossal relief not just for Palestinians and Israelis, but for the wider Middle East.—
Max Rodenbeck,
TIME,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
But soon, darkness descends on them as well: they are faced with the city’s criminal underworld.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
17 Jan. 2025
-
Advertisement According to a report released over the weekend by Taiwan’s National Security Bureau, Chinese agents have sought to use the Taiwanese underworld to channel funds to those with information to sell.—
Christopher Bodeen,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
And anyone who believed in curses was gaining some evidence.—
Sam McDowell,
Kansas City Star,
19 Jan. 2025
-
Cubs fan sabotages his own team and extends the most infamous curse in MLB history During Game 6 of the 2003 National League Division vs. the then-Florida Marlins, Chicago Cubs fan Steve Bartman reached out and grabbed a ball that could have been caught.—
Jackson Thompson,
Fox News,
17 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
While touchdown connections with rookie sensation Jayden Daniels have helped lift this moribund franchise out of the depths of football hell, McLaurin finds his high by creating deep personal relationships with teammates.—
Ben Standig,
The Athletic,
23 Jan. 2025
-
Omaha packs one hell of an emotional gut-punch, especially thanks to a wise-beyond-her-years performance by Molly Belle Wright.—
EW Staff,
EW.com,
23 Jan. 2025
Noun
-
Amazingly, Mom stayed conscious and talking the entire time of this ordeal.—
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
17 Jan. 2025
-
Earlier this month, Main Street Sports officially emerged from bankruptcy, ending a nearly two-year ordeal.—
Alex Sherman,
CNBC,
16 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near purgatory
Cite this Entry
“Purgatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purgatory. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share