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

For fans, the security funding that’s stuck in limbo could mean the difference between a smoothly run tournament and a chaotic, understaffed event where security lines stretch for miles.

From MarketWatch

It's an interesting space for a stadium-conquering pop star to occupy, and all credit to him for being brave enough to dwell in limbo for the duration of an entire record.

From BBC

The fires have left Montag and Pratt in limbo, she added, admitting that her family still feels very much “displaced.”

From MarketWatch

The sweet spot —Regan’s words, not mine—was now, when things were essentially in limbo, and we could make the jump back in time untethered by a future that was already set in stone.

From Literature

Italian company Leonardo's plant in Yeovil, Somerset, had been left in limbo after a planned visit by Defence Secretary John Healey to award the contract was cancelled on Thursday.

From BBC