A litany is a long list of complaints, problems, or repetitive items, usually recited one after another in a way that feels tiresome or overwhelming. When your friend launches into a litany of excuses for why they didn't finish their homework, they're offering reason after reason in rapid succession: the dog ate it, they forgot their backpack, their pencil broke, their little brother spilled juice on it, and so on.

You might hear about a litany of complaints from a customer, or a litany of problems facing a struggling sports team. The word suggests not just many items but an exhausting, almost numbing repetition. When someone recites a litany, listeners often start tuning out because the list goes on and on.

Notice that while a litany can be neutral (just a long list of things), it usually carries a negative tone. A litany of achievements sounds odd because litany implies something tedious or burdensome. When you hear this word, picture someone counting off problems or complaints on their fingers, one after another after another, until everyone's eyes glaze over.