congratulatory

adjective

con·​grat·​u·​la·​to·​ry kən-ˈgra-chə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce congratulatory (audio)
-ˈgra-jə-
: expressing or conveying congratulations
a congratulatory message
As the magnitude of our discovery began to sink in, I thought to myself, "I think I know how we're going to be spending the next 20 years." I turned to shake hands and receive congratulatory hugs from our ecstatic workmen.Kent R. Weeks
see also self-congratulatory

Examples of congratulatory in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The room exuded an air of distinction, accompanied by a congratulatory spirit that was emitted warmly throughout the venue. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 8 Sep. 2023 Kim attended the parade with his daughter, who is believed to be called Kim Ju Ae, and received congratulatory letters from China’s Xi Jinping and Russia’s Vladimir Putin, according to KCNA. Gawon Bae, CNN, 8 Sep. 2023 While there are plenty of congratulatory messages going around, one category is causing a stir on social media because of a high-profile omission. Katie Bowlby, Country Living, 7 Sep. 2023 Miles Teller and Keleigh Sperry's Relationship Timeline Many celebrity friends of the couple, who began dating in 2013, added congratulatory messages in the comments section of the post. Bailey Richards, Peoplemag, 2 Sep. 2023 Karina Trivedi walked away from the third annual Civic Pitch Night Wednesday with $1,000 as seed money for a summer youth internship and volunteer program for middle and high school students, and with congratulatory hugs from her sisters. Deena Lawley-Dixon, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2023 During our conversation, Nattiv is receiving congratulatory texts and messages from around the world. Jenelle Riley, Variety, 25 Aug. 2023 Fans, former teammates, and NHL peers offered plenty of congratulatory messages and praise for the 2011 Stanley Cup champion. Greg McKenna, BostonGlobe.com, 25 July 2023 Famous people were coming to watch her play, including former President Barack Obama, who was among those sending congratulatory wishes Saturday. Howard Fendrich, Chicago Tribune, 9 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'congratulatory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of congratulatory was in 1523

Dictionary Entries Near congratulatory

Cite this Entry

“Congratulatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/congratulatory. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

congratulatory

adjective
con·​grat·​u·​la·​to·​ry
kən-ˈgrach-(ə-)lə-ˌtōr-ē,
-ˌtȯr-
: expressing congratulations
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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