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.
The law made congressional approval of states of emergency mandatory, and also gave lawmakers the right to propose amendments to prevent abuses.
From Barron's • May 27, 2026
District Court in Birmingham, Ala., issued a preliminary injunction directing the state to re-use the “race blind” maps the court created for the 2024 congressional election.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026
While immigration sweeps have receded from the headlines, Garcia Venegas’ most recent incident highlights how the mistaken detention of Americans has continued despite congressional inquiries and denials by senior immigration officials.
From Salon • May 24, 2026
The congressional seat Galindo is gunning for represents TX-35, a newly redrawn district that encompasses part of the San Antonio metro area and a slice of rural Texas to the south and east.
From Slate • May 22, 2026
The club’s telegram reached Depew in Washington twenty minutes after the final ballot, just as Chicago’s congressional delegation began celebrating at the Willard Hotel near the White House.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
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.
