1
spend time in purgatory
强调处于一种痛苦的等待或煎熬状态。
He spent years in purgatory waiting for a decision.
他多年来就像在炼狱中一样，等待一个决定。
炼狱；磨难
先理解核心含义，再看它在真实句子里的用法。
炼狱；磨难
a temporary condition of torment or suffering
He spent years in purgatory waiting for a decision.
他多年来就像在炼狱中一样，等待一个决定。
Prepare the learner guide for this word
可生成：语法 Grammar。只有点击后才会开始生成。
任何忍受痛苦的情境,尤指作为救赎过程的一部分。
Any situation where suffering is endured, particularly as part of a process of redemption.
暂时的痛苦或折磨状态
a temporary condition of torment or suffering
(神学)天主教中指已蒙恩者死后为赎罪而受有限折磨的地方
(theology) in Roman Catholic theology the place where those who have died in a state of grace undergo limited torment to expiate their sins
Waiting for the exam results felt like purgatory.
等待考试成绩的感觉就像炼狱。
AI contextual example
The airport delay was pure purgatory, but we finally boarded the plane.
机场延误纯粹是煎熬，但我们终于登上了飞机。
AI contextual example
She described the endless meetings as a kind of purgatory.
她把那些没完没了的会议描述成一种炼狱般的煎熬。
AI contextual example
a purgatory of drug abuse
吸毒的炼狱
WordNet
强调处于一种痛苦的等待或煎熬状态。
He spent years in purgatory waiting for a decision.
他多年来就像在炼狱中一样，等待一个决定。
隐喻用法，sth 指造成痛苦的事物。
The office was a purgatory of endless meetings.
这间办公室就像一个充满无尽会议的炼狱。
用于比喻某段经历极其难熬。
Waiting for the bus in the rain is like purgatory.
在雨中等待公交车就像身处炼狱。
Not this
In the purgatory, souls are purified.
Use this
In purgatory, souls are purified.
purgatory 表示‘炼狱’这个抽象地点或状态时，通常不加冠词，与 in hell、in heaven 的用法一致；中文学习者容易把‘炼狱’视为特指场所而误加 the，但这里不需要特指。
Not this
The criminal was sent to purgatory forever.
Use this
The criminal was sent to hell forever.
purgatory 强调‘暂时的’涤罪磨难，而 forever 表示‘永远’，两者语义矛盾；若要表达永久的刑罚或惩罚之地，应用 hell。学习者常将‘炼狱’误当作‘地狱’。
Focus on the distinctions below. Other candidates are kept compact until a reliable usage note is available.
在炼狱中；处于痛苦的煎熬中
The proposal has been in purgatory for two years, awaiting approval.
这个提案已搁置两年，迟迟未获批准。
活地狱；活受罪
For many commuters, the daily train ride is a living purgatory.
对许多通勤者来说，每天的火车之旅简直是活受罪。
从炼狱中解脱
The priest asked the faithful to pray for the dead, hoping for their release from purgatory.
神父请求信众为亡者祈祷，希望他们能从炼狱中解脱。
炼狱中的灵魂
According to traditional belief, souls in purgatory are purified before entering heaven.
根据传统信仰，炼狱中的灵魂在进入天堂前会得到净化。
充满…的煎熬；像炼狱般的处境
The signing ceremony was a purgatory of long speeches and handshakes.
签字仪式是一场充满冗长演讲和握手的煎熬。
让某人受尽折磨
The three-hour oral exam put all the students through purgatory.
三个小时的口试让所有学生受尽折磨。
在炼狱中（比喻煎熬的等待或困境）
I've been in purgatory waiting for the exam results.
我一直在煎熬中等待考试结果。
活地狱（比喻极其痛苦的生活处境）
The traffic jam made the commute a living purgatory.
堵车让通勤变成了活地狱。
人间炼狱
The refugee camp was a purgatory on earth.
那个难民营是人间的炼狱。
Use purgatory naturally, then get feedback on meaning, tone, grammar, and phrasing.
Revisit a common error or keep this word in your review list.
联想 purge（净化）：purgatory 像灵魂在痛苦中被净化的‘炼狱’，受苦后变纯洁。
语域：mixed 常见场景：日常交谈、书评/影评 此义（指一段受折磨或难熬的时期）多用于比喻：日常口语带夸张色彩，书面评论或叙述中也较常见。选择该词时通常带有一定文学或修辞感，不宜视为纯中性口语词。
这些词中，laboratory、observatory、obligatory、regulatory 与 purgatory 都以 -atory 结尾，读作 /ətɔri/，末尾重音在 -tor- 上，可视为同韵。territory 以 -tory 结尾，读 /tɔri/，也与 purgatory 末尾押韵。注意 category 虽然也以 -ory 结尾，但其中的 -gory 读 /ɡɔri/，和 purgatory 的 -gatory /ɡətɔri/ 不同，不要照拼写类推。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY.