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

Elijah Molden returned to the visiting locker room in Arrowhead Stadium to find congratulatory messages on his phone. —Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2024

The cohort will be honored at a virtual ceremony on Thursday, with the princes issuing separate congratulatory messages. —Janine Henni, People.com, 4 Dec. 2024

There was a video after warmups with congratulatory messages that included seven members of the current Avs roster. —Corey Masisak, The Denver Post, 18 Nov. 2024

Kai, who shares a common love for the game of golf with her grandfather, shared a congratulatory X post about her grandfather. —Scott Thompson, Fox News, 7 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1523, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing congratulatory

• self-congratulatory

Kids Definition

congratulatory

adjective

con·​grat·​u·​la·​to·​ry

kən-ˈgrach-(ə-)lə-ˌtōr-ē,

-ˌtȯr-

: expressing congratulations