purgatorial

[ pur-guh-tawr-ee-uhl, -tohr- ]

adjective

1. removing or purging sin; expiatory:

   purgatorial rites.

2. of, relating to, or like purgatory.

Other Words From

• non·purga·tori·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of purgatorial¹

First recorded in 1490–1500; purgatory + -al ¹

Example Sentences

Making his way to an archaic locale that might be the setting for a Greek tragedy or even one of his own plays, he engages in a purgatorial dialogue with his alter-ego.

From Los Angeles Times

But “El Conde” is more interested in the loss of power, and in the strange, purgatorial existence that awaits its immortal subject years after his presumed death at the age of 91.

From Los Angeles Times

It feels even more pertinent knowing the organization’s purgatorial position in the standings makes the choice on whether to buy, sell or stand pat by the Aug. 1 trade deadline especially daunting.

From Seattle Times

“The Blinds,” his previous novel, takes place in a purgatorial no-man’s land deep in the heart of Texas inhabited by criminals who have had their memories scrubbed.

From Los Angeles Times

The cinematographer Agnès Godard shoots the wintry Swiss setting in desiccated blue tones, making the empty field between the line and the house look particularly purgatorial.

From New York Times