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.
Federal law requires express congressional authority to erect a building or structure on federal parks and public grounds in Washington.
From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2026
Estimates from the congressional Joint Committee on Taxation indicate even bigger numbers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 31, 2026
They are paying particular attention to districts with competitive congressional races and where past problems have arisen.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 23, 2026
And since things take a turn for the medical, Duffy’s oldest daughter, Evita, and her husband, Wisconsin Republican congressional candidate Michael Alfonso, enlist an ultrasound tech to reveal their unborn child’s gender.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
From the start, the prospect of congressional representatives reaching an easy consensus on the location was problematic at best.
From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis
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.
