"laundry list" meaning in English

See laundry list in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Audio: En-au-laundry list.ogg Forms: laundry lists [plural]
Head templates: {{en-noun}} laundry list (plural laundry lists)
  1. (archaic) Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered. Tags: archaic Related terms (generally): laundry mark, checklist, shopping list, to-do list Translations (list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered): Wäscheliste [feminine] (German)
    Sense id: en-laundry_list-en-noun-en:list_of_garments_for_laundering Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 33 3 28 36 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 35 4 24 38 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 33 3 25 40 Disambiguation of 'generally': 43 27 11 19 Disambiguation of 'list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered': 73 7 10 10
  2. (idiomatic, by extension) A long and often tedious list of items. Tags: broadly, idiomatic Synonyms: litany Translations (long and often tedious list of items): endlos lange Liste [feminine] (German), Litanei [feminine] (German)
    Sense id: en-laundry_list-en-noun-en:any_long_list__especially_a_tedious_one Disambiguation of 'long and often tedious list of items': 4 88 4 4
  3. (colloquial) An unrealistic list of skills, qualifications and experiences, as demanded by employers when hiring staff. Tags: colloquial Related terms (unrealistic list of skills): purple squirrel, unicorn
    Sense id: en-laundry_list-en-noun-en:long_and_unrealistic_wishlist Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 33 3 28 36 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 35 4 24 38 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 33 3 25 40 Disambiguation of 'unrealistic list of skills': 9 8 53 30
  4. (colloquial, by extension) An equally unrealistic skill set claimed by a candidate on a résumé. Tags: broadly, colloquial
    Sense id: en-laundry_list-en-noun-xWn8LA0o Categories (other): English entries with incorrect language header, Entries with translation boxes, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries, Terms with German translations Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 33 3 28 36 Disambiguation of Entries with translation boxes: 30 6 23 41 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 35 4 24 38 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 33 3 25 40 Disambiguation of Terms with German translations: 31 5 21 43

Inflected forms

{
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "laundry lists",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "laundry list (plural laundry lists)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "33 3 28 36",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "35 4 24 38",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 3 25 40",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1920, Scouting for Girls: Official Handbook of the Girl Scouts, First Edition, The Girl Scouts, Inc., page 126",
          "text": "Learn how to make out a laundry list and to check it when the laundry comes home."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered."
      ],
      "id": "en-laundry_list-en-noun-en:list_of_garments_for_laundering",
      "links": [
        [
          "clothing",
          "clothing"
        ],
        [
          "launder",
          "launder"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(archaic) Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "43 27 11 19",
          "sense": "generally",
          "word": "laundry mark"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "43 27 11 19",
          "sense": "generally",
          "word": "checklist"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "43 27 11 19",
          "sense": "generally",
          "word": "shopping list"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "43 27 11 19",
          "sense": "generally",
          "word": "to-do list"
        }
      ],
      "senseid": [
        "en:list of garments for laundering"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "73 7 10 10",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Wäscheliste"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2007 July 31, Ceri Au, “Fighting for the Right to Flush”, in Time:",
          "text": "Among the laundry list of inconveniences most of us can't abide: cold coffee, airport delays, the high price of gasoline.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 October 31, Rowena Mason, quoting David Steel, “Lord Steel criticises culture of spin and tweeting in modern politics”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:",
          "text": "The senior Liberal Democrat, echoing the private views of other senior figures across parties, said a daily \"laundry list\" sent out by the party headquarters contributes to the \"diminution of individual expression or even thought in politics\" as politicians are expected to repeat a positive central message over and over again.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A long and often tedious list of items."
      ],
      "id": "en-laundry_list-en-noun-en:any_long_list__especially_a_tedious_one",
      "links": [
        [
          "tedious",
          "tedious"
        ],
        [
          "list",
          "list"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, by extension) A long and often tedious list of items."
      ],
      "senseid": [
        "en:any long list, especially a tedious one"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "litany"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "broadly",
        "idiomatic"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "_dis1": "4 88 4 4",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "long and often tedious list of items",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "endlos lange Liste"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "4 88 4 4",
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "long and often tedious list of items",
          "tags": [
            "feminine"
          ],
          "word": "Litanei"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "33 3 28 36",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "35 4 24 38",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 3 25 40",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An unrealistic list of skills, qualifications and experiences, as demanded by employers when hiring staff."
      ],
      "id": "en-laundry_list-en-noun-en:long_and_unrealistic_wishlist",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(colloquial) An unrealistic list of skills, qualifications and experiences, as demanded by employers when hiring staff."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "_dis1": "9 8 53 30",
          "sense": "unrealistic list of skills",
          "word": "purple squirrel"
        },
        {
          "_dis1": "9 8 53 30",
          "sense": "unrealistic list of skills",
          "word": "unicorn"
        }
      ],
      "senseid": [
        "en:long and unrealistic wishlist"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "33 3 28 36",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "30 6 23 41",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Entries with translation boxes",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "35 4 24 38",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 3 25 40",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "31 5 21 43",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Terms with German translations",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An equally unrealistic skill set claimed by a candidate on a résumé."
      ],
      "id": "en-laundry_list-en-noun-xWn8LA0o",
      "links": [
        [
          "equally",
          "equally"
        ],
        [
          "unrealistic",
          "unrealistic"
        ],
        [
          "skill set",
          "skill set"
        ],
        [
          "claim",
          "claim"
        ],
        [
          "candidate",
          "candidate"
        ],
        [
          "résumé",
          "résumé"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(colloquial, by extension) An equally unrealistic skill set claimed by a candidate on a résumé."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "broadly",
        "colloquial"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-laundry list.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/8/81/En-au-laundry_list.ogg/En-au-laundry_list.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/En-au-laundry_list.ogg"
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  "wikipedia": [
    "en:laundry list"
  ],
  "word": "laundry list"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English multiword terms",
    "English nouns",
    "Entries with translation boxes",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Terms with German translations"
  ],
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "laundry lists",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "laundry list (plural laundry lists)",
      "name": "en-noun"
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  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "sense": "generally",
      "word": "laundry mark"
    },
    {
      "sense": "generally",
      "word": "checklist"
    },
    {
      "sense": "generally",
      "word": "shopping list"
    },
    {
      "sense": "generally",
      "word": "to-do list"
    },
    {
      "sense": "unrealistic list of skills",
      "word": "purple squirrel"
    },
    {
      "sense": "unrealistic list of skills",
      "word": "unicorn"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English terms with archaic senses"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "1920, Scouting for Girls: Official Handbook of the Girl Scouts, First Edition, The Girl Scouts, Inc., page 126",
          "text": "Learn how to make out a laundry list and to check it when the laundry comes home."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "clothing",
          "clothing"
        ],
        [
          "launder",
          "launder"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(archaic) Originally, a list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered."
      ],
      "senseid": [
        "en:list of garments for laundering"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "archaic"
      ]
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      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "ref": "2007 July 31, Ceri Au, “Fighting for the Right to Flush”, in Time:",
          "text": "Among the laundry list of inconveniences most of us can't abide: cold coffee, airport delays, the high price of gasoline.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "2013 October 31, Rowena Mason, quoting David Steel, “Lord Steel criticises culture of spin and tweeting in modern politics”, in The Guardian, →ISSN:",
          "text": "The senior Liberal Democrat, echoing the private views of other senior figures across parties, said a daily \"laundry list\" sent out by the party headquarters contributes to the \"diminution of individual expression or even thought in politics\" as politicians are expected to repeat a positive central message over and over again.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A long and often tedious list of items."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "tedious",
          "tedious"
        ],
        [
          "list",
          "list"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic, by extension) A long and often tedious list of items."
      ],
      "senseid": [
        "en:any long list, especially a tedious one"
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "litany"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "broadly",
        "idiomatic"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English colloquialisms"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An unrealistic list of skills, qualifications and experiences, as demanded by employers when hiring staff."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(colloquial) An unrealistic list of skills, qualifications and experiences, as demanded by employers when hiring staff."
      ],
      "senseid": [
        "en:long and unrealistic wishlist"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "colloquial"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English colloquialisms"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An equally unrealistic skill set claimed by a candidate on a résumé."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "equally",
          "equally"
        ],
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          "unrealistic",
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        ],
        [
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          "résumé"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(colloquial, by extension) An equally unrealistic skill set claimed by a candidate on a résumé."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "broadly",
        "colloquial"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "audio": "En-au-laundry list.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/8/81/En-au-laundry_list.ogg/En-au-laundry_list.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/81/En-au-laundry_list.ogg"
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  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "list of articles of clothing that had been sent to be laundered",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Wäscheliste"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "long and often tedious list of items",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "endlos lange Liste"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "long and often tedious list of items",
      "tags": [
        "feminine"
      ],
      "word": "Litanei"
    }
  ],
  "wikipedia": [
    "en:laundry list"
  ],
  "word": "laundry list"
}

Download raw JSONL data for laundry list meaning in English (4.1kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-03-13 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-03-02 using wiktextract (f074e77 and 633533e). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.