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act of Congress

(literally, US politics) A statute enacted by the United States Congress.

ˈækt ˈʌv ˈkɑŋɡɹəsCurrent149 viewsLast reviewed Jun 29, 2026+ Add a definition
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Global
#1·Apr 27, 2026Global

(literally, US politics) A statute enacted by the United States Congress.

Does it take an act of Congress just to get a stop sign on a corner?
Origin: From the literal sense of legislation enacted by US Congress. Origin information sourced from Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0).
For parents

act of Congress means: A statute enacted by the United States Congress.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.

For ESL learners

act of Congress means: A statute enacted by the United States Congress.. Register: neutral, standard English. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself. A formal-English equivalent (a synonym or descriptive phrase) is usually safer in writing. When in doubt, paraphrase rather than reuse the slang form.

Heard in the wild
  • “In the United States, an act of Congress is a statute passed by both the Senate and the House of Representatives of the United States Congress and signed into law by the president.”

  • “The World War II Victory Medal was a service medal of the United States military which was established by an Act of Congress on 6 July 1945 (Public Law 135, 79th Congress) and promulgated by Section V, War Department Bulletin 12, 1945.”

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Global
#2·Apr 27, 2026Global

(idiomatic, US, chiefly, _, colloquial) An authorization that is extremely difficult to obtain, especially in a timely fashion.

Should Frederick stick around — and apparently it would take an act of Congress to get him out of the ICU — he might take up where Molly had brutally left off.
Cluster: difficult
Heard in the wild
  • “is Taylor grazing act 1934 an act of congress?? so how can it be EO'rd away? www.msn.com/en-us/news/u...”

    — Bluesky· May 2026
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For specific readers

act of Congress means: A statute enacted by the United States Congress.. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.

Why is this section here?

Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.

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