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

The Cowboys were on the clock at 20, and the Steelers took it for granted that the Cowboys would not be taking (Makai) Lemon and, further, nobody would trade into that spot, so the congratulatory call was made and that was obviously premature. —Mike Defabo, New York Times, 4 May 2026

The successful trainer kept grinning through a congratulatory gauntlet following Friday night's Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, hoping that colt Emerging Market can double the celebration for him in Saturday's Kentucky Derby. —ABC News, 1 May 2026

So, Quick returned and Bobrovsky was the first to embrace him and share a few congratulatory words. —CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026

So, yes, the jersey orders are now in place, but first there was Monday night’s congratulatory call from her brother. —Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 14 Apr. 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