From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcongratulatecon‧grat‧u‧late /kənˈɡrætʃəleɪt/ ●●○ verb [transitive] 1 PRAISEto tell someone that you are happy because they have achieved something or because something nice has happened to them He never even stopped to congratulate me.congratulate somebody on something She congratulated me warmly on my exam results.congratulate somebody for doing something All three are to be congratulated for doing so well.► see thesaurus at praise2 → congratulate yourself (on something) —congratulatory /kənˌɡrætʃəˈleɪtəri $ -ˈɡrætʃələtɔːri/ adjective congratulatory messagesGRAMMAR: Patterns with congratulate• You congratulate someone on something: I’d like to congratulate you on your new job. ✗Don’t say: I’d like to congratulate you for your new job.• You can also say: Congratulations on your new job!• You congratulate someone for doing something: She congratulated me for getting a new job.→ See Verb table
Examples from the Corpus
congratulate• I would like to congratulate all the prizewinners.• One can imagine them forthrightly shaking hands and congratulating and thanking each other, but the words are lost to posterity.• The committee is to be congratulated for presenting its findings in such an informative manner.• You should have been allowed to congratulate her first.• I wrote a letter congratulating him on his appointment.• The President congratulated him on winning the title.• Mr. Allason I congratulate my right hon. and learned Friend on the abolition of composite rate tax.• In fact, he graciously congratulated prosecutors for a job well done.• Nevertheless, Sangfroid took the answer in stride; he did not even congratulate Rosenberg.• When I congratulated the poor girl, she almost fainted.congratulate somebody for doing something• He's congratulated her for being so perceptive ... but says the errors were actually made on purpose.• I congratulate you for at least calling the city Lviv and not Lvov.• If you congratulate a subordinate for completing a task on schedule, you may generate a feeling of pride and accomplishment.• In fact, he graciously congratulated prosecutors for a job well done.• Keep it corked Carlsbad leaders can congratulate themselves for winning Lego when dozens of other cities wanted it.Origin congratulate (1500-1600) Latin past participle of congratulari “to wish happiness”, from com- ( → COM-) + gratus “pleasing” 