WordLens

litany

1 of 1noun
/ˈlɪtəni/
Forms:litanies
1

a religious service that consists of the leading person saying some prayers followed by set responses from the people who are participating

  • The priest led the congregation in a solemn litany of prayers and responses.
  • During the litany, the worshipers repeated the same phrase after each prayer.
  • The choir sang softly as the litany echoed through the church.
  • Every Sunday, the litany is an important part of the morning mass.
  • The priest's voice guided the litany, while the people followed in harmony.
2

a long and repetitive account, list, or recital, often of complaints or problems

  • He launched into a litany of excuses for missing the deadline.
  • The meeting devolved into a litany of bureaucratic delays.
  • She endured a litany of complaints from her coworkers.
  • The article listed a litany of economic challenges.
  • His speech was a litany of grievances.