as in to commend
to express to (someone) admiration for his or her success or good fortune
let me be the first to congratulate you on winning the award
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of congratulate
Buffett is known to personally congratulate the winners.
—
Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2026
That 8-2 aggregate defeat by Paris Saint-Germain should be a wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee moment for those owners and executives who have spent the past few years congratulating themselves on a recruitment strategy that increasingly has the look of a social experiment.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Both Steph and his brother and teammate Seth Curry were there to congratulate their father in person.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
Everyone congratulated her, from security guards to Uber drivers to waitresses.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for congratulate
Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 23 Mar. 2026
That 8-2 aggregate defeat by Paris Saint-Germain should be a wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee moment for those owners and executives who have spent the past few years congratulating themselves on a recruitment strategy that increasingly has the look of a social experiment.
—Oliver Kay, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026
Both Steph and his brother and teammate Seth Curry were there to congratulate their father in person.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
Everyone congratulated her, from security guards to Uber drivers to waitresses.
—Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 20 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for congratulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for congratulate
Verb
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The town clerk was commended by the Broward state attorney for excellence for updating, electronically scanning and categorizing town files after much neglect.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
31 Mar. 2026
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Jackson should be commended for taking a thoughtful step to strengthen consumer trust and the future of recycling innovation.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The handful still alive cheered this next generation’s grand adventure as the Space Launch System rocket thundered into the early evening sky, a nearly full moon beckoning some 248,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) away.—
Marcia Dunn,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Apr. 2026
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Friends and classmates cheered as Baltimore County native Reid Wiseman launched into space for a moon mission aboard Artemis II on Wednesday.—
Bryant Reed,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The couple hugged, burying their faces in each other’s shoulders.—
Justin Jouvenal,
Washington Post,
1 Apr. 2026
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Bay Harbor consists of two islands hugging the Broad Causeway, which stretches just west of Bal Harbour to North Miami.—
Catherine Odom,
Miami Herald,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The quiet cobblestoned streets and nearby architectural gems like the Woolworth Building compliment the property’s New York-twisted whimsy, and the wide, quiet streets aid an already relaxing atmosphere inside.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 Apr. 2026
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Awkwardly, the first joke Val compliments them on turns out to have been written by Al, short for Al Assist.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Dewitt also praised JaCorey Stewart’s speed.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
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Then praised Illini Nation for its support.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Congratulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/congratulate. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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