# congressmen

/ˈkɑŋɡɹəsmɪn/ (US) · /kˈɒŋɡɹɪsmˌɛn/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. elected male legislators

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

men who have been elected to a congress to make laws for their country.

For teachers: Male members of a national legislative body, most commonly used in reference to the United States House of Representatives.

- Several congressmen met yesterday to discuss the new tax law.
- The delegation of congressmen toured the affected region to assess the damage before drafting the emergency relief bill.

Usage: While technically plural, modern speakers often prefer 'members of Congress' or 'representatives' to be gender-neutral.

Teaching tip: In modern American English, 'congressmen' is increasingly replaced by 'members of Congress' unless the group is exclusively male.

## Examples

- The congressmen voted on the new tax bill today.
- Several congressmen met with local business owners to discuss how the new trade laws would affect the city's economy.
- The delegation of congressmen spent the afternoon debating the proposed amendments, eventually reaching a compromise that satisfied both parties before the final vote was called.

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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.