congratulatory

adjective

con·​grat·​u·​la·​to·​ry kən-ˈgra-chə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē 

-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

Robin Roberts wrote in her Instagram Stories on Sunday, tagging the bride and groom with a congratulatory message. —Kim Willis, USA Today, 19 Jan. 2026

When Neal Brown was hired as North Texas’ next head football coach in December, Texas Tech head coach Joey McGuire wasted little time reaching out with a congratulatory text. —Lia Assimakopoulos, Dallas Morning News, 16 Jan. 2026

The locker room afterward was congratulatory but oddly subdued. —Devon Henderson, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2026

The comment section of the reality TV star's post was flooded with congratulatory messages, while Sutherland has not yet shared the baby announcement on his social media. —Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 12 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing congratulatory

• self-congratulatory

Rhymes for congratulatory

• adjudicatory
• anticipatory
• articulatory
• classificatory
• conciliatory
• discriminatory
• ejaculatory
• emancipatory
• hallucinatory
• interlaboratory
• interrogatory
• investigatory

Kids Definition

congratulatory

adjective

con·​grat·​u·​la·​to·​ry

kən-ˈgrach-(ə-)lə-ˌtōr-ē, 

-ˌtȯr-

: expressing congratulations