congratulations

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'congratulations' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when someone has achieved something significant or has been honored or rewarded in some way. For example, "Congratulations on winning the award!".

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Sport

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

So congratulations, Ralph.

The New York Times

Double congratulations to Arctic Monkeys, Disclosure and Basti-mental!" Despite the artist's reaping the rewards of the show's exposure however, this year's Brits pulled in its lowest audience for a live broadcast of the show with nearly 2 million fewer viewers than last year, with an average of 4.6 million people tuning in.

The Guardian - Music

Congratulations on your recent haul of gold medals!

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Congratulations to Amol Rajan for his historic appointment as the first ethnic minority editor of a national British newspaper.

The Guardian - Opinion

Congratulations to everyone involved in launching the 10 10 initiative, which looks set to become one of the biggest ever civil society campaigns between now and the Copenhagen climate change summit in December (Public figures and business sign up to climate drive, 1 September).

The Guardian

If anyone from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is reading this, congratulations on your Nobel peace prize win.

The Guardian

We don't tell them why we're calling... we're screening for uncommitted voters, and if they meet that qualification, and a few other qualifications, then we say, 'Congratulations, we're actually recruiting for the debate, then we're actually inviting you to be a participant.' And that's how it works.

The Guardian

Congratulations to Alicia and thanks again to all our contributors.

The Guardian - Sport

Congratulations to slackdad38, who held on to win last week's competition on a final score of +15.50 after a winnerless Friday.

The Guardian - Sport

Six years ago he sent me a letter for my birthday, saying, "Congratulations on your first 75 years" and it's still hanging in our front hall.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Congratulations to them, then, for making me hate Get Lucky even more than I already did!

The Guardian - Music

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Follow "congratulations" with a specific detail about the achievement or event you are celebrating to make your message more meaningful and personalized.

Common error

Avoid using "congratulations" sarcastically or when the situation clearly warrants sympathy or support rather than celebration. Misapplying the term can come across as insensitive.

How to use

Learn how to use "congratulations" with practical examples and tips.

How to use

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "congratulations" is as an interjection, used to express praise and approval. As confirmed by Ludwig, it serves to acknowledge someone's success or a positive event.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

41%

Sport

22%

Formal & Business

17%

Less common in

Lifestyle

9%

Academia

5%

Film

3%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

"Congratulations" is a versatile interjection used to express praise and approval, frequently appearing in news, sports, and business contexts. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and appropriateness in various scenarios. While "well done" and "kudos" offer informal alternatives, "felicitations" provides a more formal option. It's crucial to use "congratulations" sincerely and avoid it in situations where sympathy is more fitting. Overall, "congratulations" remains a powerful tool for acknowledging achievements and celebrating positive events.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

well done

A more informal and direct expression of praise.

felicitations

A more formal and somewhat archaic expression of congratulations.

kudos

An informal way to express praise or admiration for an achievement.

best wishes

A general expression of goodwill, often used in conjunction with congratulations.

hats off

An informal expression of admiration or respect.

good job

A simple and direct expression of approval.

you deserve it

Acknowledges the effort behind an accomplishment.

I commend you

A formal expression of praise and approval.

my compliments

A polite and formal expression of praise.

props

A very informal, slang term for giving credit or recognition.

FAQs

How do you use "congratulations" in a sentence?

You can use "congratulations" to express praise and approval for someone's achievement. For example, "Congratulations on your new job!" or "Congratulations on winning the award!"

What can I say instead of "congratulations"?

You can use alternatives like "well done", "felicitations", or "kudos" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to say "congratulations" for condolences?

No, "congratulations" is used to express joy and approval. For condolences, it is more appropriate to offer sympathy or express your sorrow.

How formal is the word "congratulations"?

"Congratulations" is generally considered neutral to formal. More informal options include "good job" or "way to go".