purgatory

noun

pur·​ga·​to·​ry ˈpər-gə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce purgatory (audio)
plural purgatories
Synonyms of purgatorynext
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 To escape from this pilot purgatory, the priority must be to connect gen AI to business outcomes. —Byrodney Zemmel, Fortune, 15 May 2024 Its third project, the role-playing game Pyre (2017), features a band of exiles seeking freedom from purgatory. —Brian X. Chen, New York Times, 13 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for purgatory 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'purgatory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of purgatory was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near purgatory

purgatorian

purgatory

purgatory hammer

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Purgatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/purgatory. Accessed 29 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

purgatory

noun
pur·​ga·​to·​ry ˈpər-gə-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce purgatory (audio)
-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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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