Definition

Proper noun 1. A place of punishment for the wicked after death: In Greek mythology, Tartarus is the deep abyss used as a dungeon of torment and suffering for the wicked and a prison for the Titans. It is a place of divine punishment, lower even than Hades, the general underworld.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • In the epic, the hero fears his soul may be condemned to Tartarus.
  • The ancient poets described Tartarus as a gloomy pit surrounded by a wall of bronze.

Advanced Usage

• "a modern Tartarus": Used metaphorically to describe a place or situation of extreme suffering, torment, or despair.
  • The overcrowded prison was described by inspectors as a modern Tartarus.

Variants and Related Words

• Tartarean (adjective): Of or relating to Tartarus; infernal.
  • The poet wrote of the Tartarean depths.

Synonyms

• Hell: A place of punishment for the wicked after death.
• The inferno: A place resembling hell, especially in being intensely hot or chaotic.
• The pit: Often used to refer to a hellish abyss or a place of misery.
• The abyss: A deep or seemingly bottomless chasm, often used metaphorically for a catastrophic situation or hell.

Related Idioms

• "To be cast into Tartarus": To be condemned to severe and eternal punishment.
  • The tyrant was warned that his crimes would see him cast into Tartarus.

Noun

1. a place where the wicked are punished after death