congratulate

verb

con·​grat·​u·​late kən-ˈgra-chə-ˌlāt How to pronounce congratulate (audio)
-ˈgra-jə-
congratulated; congratulating

transitive verb

1
: to express vicarious pleasure to (a person) on the occasion of success or good fortune
graciously congratulated the winner
also : to feel pleased with
congratulating herself for a job well done
2
archaic : to express sympathetic pleasure at (an event)
3
obsolete : salute, greet
congratulator noun

Examples of congratulate in a Sentence

I'd like to congratulate you on your success. She congratulated us on our test results. She congratulated herself for getting the best grade in her class.
Recent Examples on the Web Please join me in congratulating Ravi on this well-deserved appointment. Jennifer Maas, Variety, 6 Mar. 2024 After congratulating the 10 newest people now eligible for flight assignments, the agency has opened the application portal for its next pool of potentially spacebound voyagers. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Mar. 2024 His sidelining demonstrates the extent to which Khamenei and his clique have tightened their grip on the reins of power and further dispensed with the trappings of democracy for which the regime often congratulates itself. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024 Chinese President Xi Jinping was among the first to congratulate Sharif on his election as Pakistan’s prime minister, the official Xinhua news agency reported Sunday. Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 3 Mar. 2024 In her election-night speech in Charleston, Ms. Haley congratulated Mr. Trump on his victory. Michael Gold, New York Times, 24 Feb. 2024 Afterward, Bieber made sure to congratulate Usher on Instagram. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 16 Feb. 2024 But the first justice to call Amy Coney Barrett to congratulate her on the Senate’s confirmation vote was one of her new liberal colleagues, Sonia Sotomayor. USA TODAY, 24 Feb. 2024 Putin called the withdrawal a victory, congratulating Russian troops. Haley Chi-Sing, Fox News, 19 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

Etymology

Latin congratulatus, past participle of congratulari to wish joy, from com- + gratulari to wish joy, from gratus pleasing — more at grace

First Known Use

1539, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of congratulate was in 1539

Dictionary Entries Near congratulate

Cite this Entry

“Congratulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/congratulate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

congratulate

verb
con·​grat·​u·​late kən-ˈgrach-ə-ˌlāt How to pronounce congratulate (audio)
congratulated; congratulating
: to express pleasure to on account of success or good fortune
congratulate the winner
Etymology

from Latin congratulatus "has wished joy," derived from Latin con-, com- "with, together" and gratulari "to wish joy," from gratus "pleasing, agreeable, thankful" — related to grace, gratitude

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