congratulation: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
HighFormal to neutral; plural form ('congratulations') is overwhelmingly more common in direct address.
Quick answer
What does “congratulation” mean?
The act of expressing pleasure and good wishes to someone for their success or good fortune.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of expressing pleasure and good wishes to someone for their success or good fortune.
A formal expression of praise or acknowledgement for an achievement; often used in the plural form to offer good wishes on a specific occasion like a wedding or promotion.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is virtually identical. Both strongly prefer the plural form 'congratulations' for direct address. Minor spelling difference in derived verb: BrE 'congratulating', AmE also 'congratulating' (no difference).
Connotations
Slightly more formal in BrE in written correspondence (e.g., 'Please accept my congratulations'); in AmE, can be used more broadly in casual speech ('Congratulations, dude!').
Frequency
Equally high frequency in both dialects. The plural form 'congratulations' is among the top most frequent nouns in both corpora.
Grammar
How to Use “congratulation” in a Sentence
Congratulations on + [noun phrase/gerund] (e.g., on your success)Congratulations to + [person] (e.g., to the team)Offer congratulations + [prepositional phrase]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “congratulation” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- We must congratulate the team on their flawless performance.
- I shall be writing to congratulate the newlyweds.
American English
- We need to congratulate the sales department on meeting their quota.
- I'll call to congratulate her on the new job.
adverb
British English
- He smiled congratulatorily as she accepted the award. (rare, formal)
American English
- She patted him congratulatorily on the back. (rare, formal)
adjective
British English
- She received a congratulatory telegram from the Queen.
- A congratulatory banner was hung in the office.
American English
- He sent a congratulatory email to the entire staff.
- The mayor issued a congratulatory statement.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used in emails and announcements for promotions, retirements, or successful deals. Often formal: 'Please join me in congratulating Sarah on her promotion.'
Academic
Used for thesis defenses, publications, grant awards, and graduations. 'The committee extends its congratulations to the doctoral candidate.'
Everyday
Extremely common for birthdays, weddings, new jobs, births. Often truncated to 'Congrats!' in informal speech.
Technical
Rare. Might appear in formal project closure documentation or award citations within a technical field.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “congratulation”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “congratulation”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “congratulation”
- Using the singular form when addressing someone directly (*'A big congratulation!'*).
- Incorrect preposition: *'Congratulations for your wedding'* (correct: *on* your wedding).
- Misspelling as 'congradulations' (a common phonetic error).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it's rare and formal. It's used in phrases like 'a letter/message of congratulation' or in abstract, literary contexts. In 99% of daily use, the plural 'congratulations' is required.
The standard preposition is 'on' (Congratulations on your wedding). You can also use 'to' to specify the recipient (Congratulations to the winner).
'Congrats' is a casual, informal shortening of 'congratulations'. It's fine in speech, text messages, and informal writing, but 'congratulations' is preferred for formal contexts.
Yes, but it often carries a nuance of self-satisfaction. 'She congratulated herself on a job well done' is idiomatic. Using it for others is not reflexive ('I congratulate you', not 'I congratulate yourself').
The act of expressing pleasure and good wishes to someone for their success or good fortune.
Congratulation is usually formal to neutral; plural form ('congratulations') is overwhelmingly more common in direct address. in register.
Congratulation: in British English it is pronounced /kənˌɡrætʃ.əˈleɪ.ʃən/, and in American English it is pronounced /kənˌɡrætʃ.əˈleɪ.ʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Congratulations are in order”
- “Pat yourself on the back”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'CON-GRAD-U-LATION' – you are WITH ('con-') the GRADUATE at their celebrATION.
Conceptual Metaphor
GOOD WISHES ARE A GIFT (offer/extend congratulations), SUCCESS IS UP (raise a glass in congratulation), SOCIAL RECOGNITION IS A BOND (ties strengthened through congratulation).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the MOST natural and common usage?