Definitions

1. noun

A place or state in which the souls of those who are not damned but are not yet saints undergo purification before entering heaven.

“The idea of purgatory was a central tenet of Catholic theology for centuries.”

2. noun

A state or period of great difficulty or hardship, especially one that is felt to be temporary.

“The economic purgatory of the past decade was a challenging time for many families.”

3. noun

A place or situation where something is being purified or refined, especially in a spiritual or moral sense.

“The artist’s studio was a sort of purgatory for her half-finished paintings.”