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

After Memphis' own Three 6 Mafia took home the Oscar for best original song in 2006, Parton sent them a congratulatory letter, according to member DJ Paul per The Hollywood Reporter. — Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026

It was evidently lost amid the flood of congratulatory messages that arrived on campus that day, and Calhoun didn’t remember it. — Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 23 Aug. 2026

Their joint announcement on social media earned them thousands of congratulatory messages from fans of both teams. — Kansas City Star, 15 Aug. 2026

The two weren’t mentioned in the announcement, or in the royal family’s congratulatory post, and the entire British royal family has gone out of its way to separate itself from Andrew and Fergie, considering their recent scandals. — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 6 Aug. 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