as in lists
a long stated list of things one after another
Nobody wants to deal with a coworker who repeats the same litany of complaints day after day.
Related Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of litanies
Keeping the camera still in a courthouse’s small, windowless chambers, Depardon depicts these face-to-face showdowns as litanies of misery, as the officials make suspects confront the grim circumstances leading to their arrests.
—
Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2026
Hval’s restless melodies and at-times Proustian lyrics trail cigarette smoke or the fragrance of roses toward litanies of memory, all the while deconstructing the very natures of stage performance, recording technology, and digital existence.
—Jenn Pelly, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Given the linguistic polyphony, even Spanish speakers will need to consult translations to understand her litanies.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2025
Like both Chicana Falsa and the matchstick litanies, Cardona’s poems focus both on his adolescence and his family.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
Each night, strange visitors whisper litanies in an unknown tongue.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 20 Feb. 2026
Hval’s restless melodies and at-times Proustian lyrics trail cigarette smoke or the fragrance of roses toward litanies of memory, all the while deconstructing the very natures of stage performance, recording technology, and digital existence.
—Jenn Pelly, Time, 4 Dec. 2025
Given the linguistic polyphony, even Spanish speakers will need to consult translations to understand her litanies.
—Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 11 Nov. 2025
Like both Chicana Falsa and the matchstick litanies, Cardona’s poems focus both on his adolescence and his family.
—Literary Hub, 17 Oct. 2025
Each night, strange visitors whisper litanies in an unknown tongue.
—Zac Ntim, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for litanies
Noun
-
Schools will often assemble lists of programs that have been popular with previous students, so check with your child's guidance counselor.—
Theo Wolf,
CNBC,
1 May 2026
-
Many programs rely on standardized intervention lists, assuming similar outcomes across suppliers when every facility operates under its own set of constraints, meaning what succeeds in one place could prove a bust in another.—
Jasmin Malik Chua,
Footwear News,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
27 Apr. 2026
-
That was nearly six times the amount raised and three times the number of new listings in the same period last year, KPMG said.—
Justina Lee,
CNBC,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
After three verse-chorus repetitions, the quartet stop the song cold and set off in a new direction, churning out pure noise even as drummer Steve Shelley keeps everyone anchored.—
Stephen M. Deusner,
Pitchfork,
27 Apr. 2026
-
The research describes soleus push-ups as sustained contractions rather than individual repetitions, suggesting the movement should be performed continuously over time.—
Mira Miller,
Verywell Health,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Litanies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/litanies. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
