congress

noun

ˈkäŋ-grəs How to pronounce congress (audio)
Definition of congressnext
1
as in parliament
the highest lawmaking body of a political unit the national emergency required a special session of congress

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in meeting
a coming together of a number of persons for a specified purpose following World War I a great congress of world leaders took place in Paris to plan the postwar world

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in organization
a group of persons formally joined together for some common interest the Canada Trades and Labor Congress

Synonyms & Similar Words
4
as in sex
sexual union involving penetration of the vagina by the penis laws that once prohibited congress between people of different races

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of congress Verdicts from June's congress could affect the upcoming ISU Figure Skating season, beginning with the ISU Figure Skating Junior Grand Prix first event on August 19–22, 2026 in Xi'An, China. — Caroline Price, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026 The Chinese government, which once promoted Esperanto heartily, still makes an appearance at each year’s congress. — Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026 Both Democratic and Republican congresses have given the president the ability to engage militarily without congressional approval. — Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 5 May 2026 Polls show that Peruvians overwhelmingly want fresh blood in their politics, meaning candidates without links to the current congress. — Simeon Tegel, NPR, 11 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for congress
Recent Examples of Synonyms for congress
  1. parliament
  2. meeting
  3. organization
  4. relations
  5. legislature
  6. convention
  7. institute
  8. mating
Noun
  • In the country’s 78-year history, no single party has won a majority in the 120-member parliament, or Knesset.
    — Melanie Lidman, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • Israel holds an election on October 27th, electing members of the Knesset, their parliament.
    — Greg Dixon, NPR, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of parliament
Noun
  • Every year, Noting’s fan community elects a community board observer, a volunteer who attends the company’s quarterly board meetings and presents customers’ views on products and launches to its directors.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • That same year one of the scientists who first uncovered the existence of GRBs, Ray Klebesadel of the clandestine Los Alamos National Laboratory, gave a talk at a meeting of the American Astronomical Society.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of meeting
Noun
  • One of the largest donors to a pop-up super PAC supporting Muslim or pro-Palestinian candidates is the president of an Islamic organization that collects obligatory religious donations mandated by Sharia law.
    — Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The Union of Palestinian Women's Committees and Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association were both among the groups targeted, officials with the organizations said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of organization
Noun
  • Smith praised Carney for improving relations with a province that frequently clashed with his predecessor, Justin Trudeau, over his carbon tax and other energy policies.
    — Rob Gillies, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The waiver also raises questions about Washington’s commitment to Ukraine as relations between the two countries deteriorate.
    — Rebecca Schneid, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of relations
Noun
  • The plaintiffs are Common Cause; Robert Hunter, a Democratic candidate for a state legislature seat in Alabama; Service Employees International Union Local 32BJ; and Empire State 32BJ SEIU PAC.
    — Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 13 Oct. 2026
  • His decree also dissolved the national legislature and state governments.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of legislature
Noun
  • In the weeks leading up to the election, the president has lent his and his administration’s name power to Paxton’s bid at presidential events and rallies, including the first GOP midterm convention in Dallas.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Oct. 2026
  • In the mid-1990s, Bob Bartel, a Chicago native and sometime private detective and full-time Beatles nut, heard Louise speak at a fan convention about George’s vacation in Benton.
    — Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of convention
Noun
  • Iran appears to be targeting vessels conducting ship-to-ship oil transfers around the Strait of Hormuz, according to a military institute.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The mysterious death of a lab worker at a plague research institute in Siberia drew global attention to a region where disease risks run as deep as the permafrost.
    — Mary Ilyushina, Washington Post, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of institute
Noun
  • The crab digs shallow burrows for mating and molting and frequently maintains several burrows within its territory, the USGS report states.
    — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The gear’s teeth and internal ribs came through clearly, as did the clip’s narrow gate and mating features.
    — Michael Lydick, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of mating

Browse Nearby Words

congregations
congress
congresses
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Congress.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/congress. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All