Litany

A litany is a tedious recital or repetitive series of statements or petitions, often religious in nature. It's characterized by a call-and-response structure, where a leader presents a phrase or invocation, and the congregation or audience responds with a standardized reply. Beyond religious contexts, a litany can describe any repetitive and drawn-out list, complaint, or sequence of events, usually expressing a lament, a request, or a detailed explanation that can become monotonous. The term often implies a feeling of weariness or repetitiveness associated with the recitation.

Litany meaning with examples

• During the church service, the priest led the congregation in the ancient litany, reciting phrases of praise and supplication, to which the congregation responded in unison. The rhythmic repetition created a solemn and prayerful atmosphere, bringing the community together in shared devotion.
• The political analyst began his broadcast with a litany of the president’s failures, listing economic setbacks, policy missteps, and diplomatic blunders one after the other. His tone was critical and his delivery was slow and deliberate, hammering home the negatives.
• After the car broke down, the driver started his litany of complaints. He whined about the expensive repair bills, the missed appointments, and the inconvenience of being stranded, repeating the same points several times and growing increasingly frustrated.
• The environmental group presented a litany of warnings regarding climate change, documenting rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and species extinction to highlight the urgency of the global crisis, hoping to prompt immediate action.