purgatory

noun/ˈpɜrɡəˌtɔri/

Frequency rank: #11,788 most common English word

Meaning

a state or place of temporary suffering or waiting, often used figuratively to describe a miserable in-between situation.

Illustration for the English word “purgatory”

Example sentence

After months of waiting for the visa decision, he felt as though he was living in purgatory.

Synonyms & related words

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