congratulate

IPA/kənˈɡrætʃəleɪt/
KK[kənɡrˈætʃəlˌet]IPA/kənˈɡrætʃəleɪt/

congratulate — verb

  • congratulatepresent simple I / you / we / they
  • congratulateshe / she / it
  • congratulatedpast simple
  • congratulating-ing form

1. When someone has done something well or achieved something, you congratulate the

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

When someone has done something well or achieved something, you congratulate them by telling them that you are happy for them and proud of what they have done.

Example

Constanza's parents congratulated her on winning the science competition.

congratulate + on + -ing form

The manager congratulated the whole department for finishing the project under budget.

Common collocations
  • congratulate warmly
  • congratulate sincerely
  • congratulate someone on their success
  • congratulate someone on their achievement
  • congratulate someone on winning
Synonyms
  • praise

    Broader — can express approval for any quality or action, not just achievements.

  • compliment

    Focuses on admiring a specific quality, appearance, or skill rather than celebrating a success.

  • commend

    More formal; often used in official contexts such as work reviews or public statements.

Antonyms
  • criticize

    To express disapproval rather than pleasure about someone's actions.

Grammar Patterns

congratulate + someone + on/for + noun or -ing form

Usage Note

The most common prepositions following this sense are 'on' and 'for'. 'On' is preferred when naming a specific event (winning, graduating, achieving), while 'for' often highlights the effort or quality behind the achievement.

Common Mistakes

I congratulated him to pass the exam.
I congratulated him on passing the exam.
'congratulate' takes 'on' or 'for' plus a noun or gerund, not a to-infinitive.

2. To feel satisfied and proud about something you have done yourself, often by tel

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

To feel satisfied and proud about something you have done yourself, often by telling yourself that you did well.

Example

After finishing her first marathon, Dahlia congratulated herself on not giving up.

reflexive: congratulate yourself on + noun/-ing

The sales team congratulated themselves on a successful quarter after months of hard work.

Common collocations
  • congratulate oneself on a job well done
  • congratulate oneself for surviving
  • have reason to congratulate oneself
Synonyms
  • pat oneself on the back

    More informal and figurative; suggests a light, sometimes humorous self-acknowledgement.

  • take pride in

    Describes the internal feeling of satisfaction without the act of telling oneself; broader in use.

Grammar Patterns

congratulate + yourself/herself/himself/themselves + on/for + noun or -ing form

Usage Note

Always requires a reflexive pronoun (yourself, myself, herself, himself, themselves). Without a reflexive object, the sentence instead expresses the first sense — praising someone else. 'The team congratulated the manager' (sense 1) vs. 'The team congratulated themselves' (sense 2).

Common Mistakes

He congratulated his promotion.
He congratulated himself on his promotion.
The reflexive pronoun is required; you cannot use this sense without 'yourself/ourselves/themselves/herself/himself.'

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words express approval, but they differ in what triggers the approval and how it is delivered. 'Congratulate' is the only one that specifically requires an achievement or success — you congratulate someone on winning, graduating, or reaching a goal. 'Praise' is the broadest: you can praise someone for their character, effort, behaviour, or any positive quality, not just a result. 'Compliment' targets a specific quality or action, often appearance or skill ('He complimented her cooking'), and tends to be more personal and less formal. 'Commend' is formal and usually comes from an authority figure, such as a supervisor or judge, in official contexts. 'Applaud' can be used literally (clapping) or figuratively, and often expresses approval of a principle or decision ('We applaud the committee's transparency'), not necessarily a personal achievement. For everyday success, 'congratulate' is the direct choice; for general approval, use 'praise'; for a specific quality, use 'compliment'; for formal recognition, use 'commend'.

praise ↗compliment ↗commend ↗applaud ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • congratulate someone on something
  • congratulate someone for doing something
  • have something to congratulate someone about

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

From Latin 'congratulari' — 'com-' meaning 'together' and 'gratulari' meaning 'to show joy'. The original idea was 'to wish joy together with someone'. The word came into English through French in the mid-16th century, and the reflexive sense ('congratulate oneself') emerged about a century later.