congratulations
Britishplural noun
Explanation
"Kudos," "well-done," and other words of praise are forms of congratulations, or an expression of approval and acclaim. Congratulations are expressed for good wishes on a special occasion, not just an accomplishment. For example, you wouldn't tell someone who just had a baby, "Good job on your accomplishment," but you would say, "Congratulations!" If, however, someone says "congratulations!" when you drop your ice cream cone or get a bad grade on your math test, they're probably being sarcastic.
Vocabulary lists containing congratulations
A Graduation Lexicon
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 6
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List 3
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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.
As family, friends and colleagues dropped by his table to offer congratulations, he confessed that he was eager to get back to the office.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026
King Charles has sent his "warmest congratulations" the United States as the country celebrates 250 years since the Declaration of Independence.
From BBC ● Jul. 4, 2026
And, perhaps more importantly, congratulations on paying off $40,000 worth of debt.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 30, 2026
Trump offered his hearty congratulations to De la Espriella on Monday.
From Barron's ● Jun. 24, 2026
Bobby stayed for hours, and the Collins regulars began to drift in to offer their congratulations, have something to eat, and discuss the losses to Benko and Olafsson.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
