congressional
Americanadjective
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of or relating to a congress.
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(usually initial capital letter) of or relating to the Congress of the U.S..
a Congressional committee.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of congressional
1685–95; < Latin congressiōn- (stem of congressiō ) a coming together, equivalent to congress ( us ) ( see congress) + -iōn- -ion + -al 1
Explanation
Anything congressional is related to a congress, which is the law-making body of a country. Congress (with a capital “c”) is the law-making branch of the US government. Silly campaign ads start showing up before a congressional race. Congressional most often describes anything related to the US Congress. Congress is the legislative branch of the government, made up of the House of Representatives and the Senate. These people are voted in. In the US, you vote for a representative in your congressional district. Congressional districts are decided by population, and each state has at least one representative in congress. Congressional hearings are meetings where laws are discussed. Congressional cocktail parties are where members of congress whoop it up.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Consider an instructive 2024 case in South Carolina, where Rep. Jim Clyburn has represented the Sixth Congressional District since 1993.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 6, 2026
The exchange was related to the Court’s Monday order letting Louisiana move ahead on redrawing its Congressional map to replace the one the Court last week found unconstitutional.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 5, 2026
The Congressional Budget Office released a report last February estimating that the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund will be exhausted in 2032.
From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026
The 45th Congressional District is located mostly in northern Orange County and includes cities such as Fullerton and Buena Park as well as Cypress, Westminster, Garden Grove and Fountain Valley.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
I was aware that I was being carefully sized up while he talked primarily of F.B.I. and Internal Revenue Service close surveillance of his organization, and of a rumored forthcoming Congressional probe.
From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
