in limbo

Idioms  

1. In a condition of oblivion or neglect, as in They kept her application in limbo for months . [Early 1600s]

2. An intermediate or transitional state, as in After his editor left the firm, his book was in limbo . [Early 1600s] Both usages allude to the theological meaning of limbo , that is, a place outside hell and heaven to which unbaptized infants and the righteous who died before Christ's coming were traditionally consigned.

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Example Sentences

But financing for its $500 billion Stargate venture with Oracle appears to be in limbo.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

Litigation and pressure from the industry and lawmakers delayed for decades the creation of the bulks list, leaving compounders in limbo on scores of substances, not just peptides.

From Salon • Apr. 4, 2026

With no end in sight to the Iran conflict, the 400,000 people employed in the trade have been left in limbo.

From BBC • Mar. 24, 2026

Until that cash comes out of the shadows, China’s economic recovery, and a big chunk of global corporate growth tied to it, will remain stuck in limbo.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

This was much too long even for me to remain in limbo, so I spent the rest of the afternoon cutting accurate representations of the bases out of stiff cardboard.

From "Double Helix" by James D. Watson