# congressman

/ˈkɑŋɡɹəsmən/ (US) · /kˈɒŋɡɹɛsmən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/congressman
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. a male legislator

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

a man who is an elected member of a congress, particularly in the U.S. government.

For teachers: a male member of a congress; in the United States, the term specifically refers to a member of the House of Representatives rather than the Senate.

- The congressman met with local business owners to discuss the new tax laws.
- The congressman faced tough questions from his constituents during the town hall meeting regarding his recent vote on the environmental bill.

### 2. the title

noun · CEFR B2 · American English · Formal

the official title used for a man elected to a congress.

For teachers: the formal title or designation for a male individual elected to a legislative congress.

- Please address the letter to Congressman Smith at his office in Washington.
- During the formal introduction, the moderator referred to the guest speaker as Congressman Miller, citing his long tenure in the House.

Teaching tip: While 'Congressman' is a common title, 'Representative' is the gender-neutral alternative often preferred in formal or inclusive contexts.

## Examples

- The local Congressman visited our school to talk about new laws.
- After hearing from many concerned citizens, the Congressman promised to vote against the proposed tax increase.
- The Congressman spent the afternoon meeting with lobbyists and constituents to balance the competing interests of his district before the upcoming floor vote.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.