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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of purgatory
Smith also explained how the film finally was freed from purgatory.
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Bethy Squires, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2024
If everyone is in purgatory, how can new life be created on board?
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 21 Nov. 2024
That means thinking beyond the bar and the counter, often a purgatory of sorts for single guests.
—Dax Dasilva, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
The idea of purgatory has always been catnip to playwrights, going back centuries.
—Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for purgatory 
Bethy Squires, Vulture, 17 Nov. 2024
If everyone is in purgatory, how can new life be created on board?
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 21 Nov. 2024
That means thinking beyond the bar and the counter, often a purgatory of sorts for single guests.
—Dax Dasilva, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024
The idea of purgatory has always been catnip to playwrights, going back centuries.
—Duante Beddingfield, Detroit Free Press, 20 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for purgatory
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purgatory
Noun
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There will be many Democratic leaders whose political souls will be living in Dante's inferno.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 17 Dec. 2024
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The wood — bearing visible black traces from the blaze — came from pieces of the cathedral roof that collapsed in the inferno, Dubuisson said.John Leicester, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
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But as Lydia and Paul know all too well, sometimes the home of your dreams can be a true nightmare.Lynette Rice, Deadline, 27 Dec. 2024
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But the dreamy winter backdrop soon turned into a snowy nightmare when the new engagement ring got lost in the ice.Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 26 Dec. 2024
Noun
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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
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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
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The project, inspired by Becky's Mexican roots and the death of her grandfather Miguel, bursts with emotive lyrics that earnestly capture the euphoria and agony of all-consuming love.Pamela Avila, USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024
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In just over three minutes, Phair manages to capture the agony and discomfort of a relationship that’s just beginning to sour.Emma Specter, Vogue, 17 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Driven by his instincts, Fok begins to dig deeper into the case, uncovering a labyrinthine conspiracy that threads through Hong Kong’s criminal underworld and its upper echelons of power.Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 23 Dec. 2024
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Convinced that these crimes are the work of domestic terrorists funding a violent uprising, Husk and his team plunge into the dark underworld of white supremacist extremism.Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 2 Dec. 2024
Noun
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For high-achieving professionals, especially those who are naturally more sensitive and perceptive, emotional investment in work can be both a blessing and a curse.Melody Wilding, Contributor, CNBC, 19 Dec. 2024
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Financial Education Is Wealth The third-generation wealth curse often befalls families where younger generations, especially grandchildren, are detached from how their predecessors went about building wealth.Next Avenue, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The vicious gang has taken advantage of a lax southern border under the Biden-Harris administration, with many of its foot soldiers swarming the U.S. and unleashing hell on unsuspecting communities.Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 20 Dec. 2024
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Here, writer-director David Moreau depicts a descent into hell with a relentless sense of urgency, the feeling of claustrophobia made worse by the camera’s refusal to cut away.Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
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That, for me, has been the biggest takeaway from this whole ordeal.Dr. Marcus Collins, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024
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The whole ordeal has left her feeling changed for the better.Shania Russell, EW.com, 18 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near purgatory
Cite this Entry
“Purgatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purgatory. Accessed 31 Dec. 2024.
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