Congratulatory means expressing joy and approval about someone else's success or good fortune. When you write a congratulatory note to your friend who won the science fair, you're sharing genuine happiness about their achievement. A congratulatory handshake, hug, or speech serves the same purpose: celebrating someone's accomplishment.

You might receive congratulatory messages after winning a spelling bee, getting accepted to a special program, or achieving a personal goal. Your teacher might send a congratulatory email to your parents about your improved grades.

A congratulatory tone is warm and enthusiastic, not envious or grudging. There's a generosity in being congratulatory: you're taking time to recognize someone else's hard work and success. When your teammate scores the winning goal, your congratulatory cheer shows you're truly happy for them, not jealous they got the glory instead of you.

The opposite of being congratulatory would be dismissing someone's achievement or pretending it doesn't matter. Congratulatory moments strengthen friendships and communities because they show we care about each other's victories, not just our own.