1
as in infernos
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in nightmares
a place or state of temporary suffering
We found ourselves trapped in the purgatory of a rush-hour traffic jam.
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for purgatories
Noun
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Symptoms may include nightmares and flashbacks to the event, trouble sleeping and feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt.—
George Monastiriakos,
Newsweek,
30 Dec. 2024 -
Other symptoms experienced by military survivors of plane crashes include uncontrollable anxiety or rage, sleep problems, flashbacks, physical illness, mood swings, paranoia, nightmares and more.—
George Monastiriakos,
Newsweek,
30 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Recent underground horrors remind us of the urgent need for action.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
5 Jan. 2025
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To escape the horrors of the Holocaust, Keleti, who was born in Budapest, hid out in Hungary by taking on a fake identity while working as a maid.—
Danielle Jennings,
People.com,
2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Medical visits for heart and lung issues in the Baltimore region surged by 20 percent during six days in June 2023, when smoke from Western Canada blazes drifted across the continent, according to the study, published on Friday in JAMA Network Open.—
Sharon Udasin,
The Hill,
18 Dec. 2024
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Fires How recent wildfires have primed Malibu and the Santa Monica Mountains for more frequent blazes.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
15 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Purgatories.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/purgatories. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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