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purgatory

[pur-guh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] / ˈpɜr gəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

With its bed made just so, “Exit 8” has a refreshing ambition: It wants to be both a purgatory and an advancement in form.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Since 2008, the government has taken no conclusive action, leaving shareholders in purgatory.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

Big picture: The job market is stuck in a purgatory of sorts — it’s not getting any better, but it’s also not getting worse.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 19, 2026

Alonso's career, meanwhile, became a kind of living purgatory.

From BBC • Feb. 24, 2026

The wind screamed like a Super Bowl crowd or a hundred thousand souls let loose from purgatory.

From "Adrift" by Paul Griffin




Vocabulary lists containing purgatory


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