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 group faces investigations from the Justice Department and congressional Republicans six months before the 2026 midterms.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 4, 2026
So what exactly did Reid show us, and how can that inform congressional politics today, nearly a decade after Reid left office and more than four years after his death?
From Slate • May 4, 2026
Pete Hegseth, the president’s secretary of Defense, defended the effort at a congressional hearing Wednesday, telling lawmakers that the United States was “absolutely” winning the war.
From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2026
"There has been no exchange of fire between United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026," Trump said in letters to congressional leaders, adding that the hostilities "have terminated".
From Barron's • May 2, 2026
Besides making Coal instantly popular at both the middle and high schools, it had made the news and sparked a congressional investigation into military experiments.
From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste
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.
