constitute

American  

[kon-sti-toot, -tyoot] / ˈkɒn stɪˌtut, -ˌtjut /

verb (used with object)

constitutes, present (3rd person singular) constituted, past participle, past constituting present participle

1. to compose; form.

   mortar constituted of lime and sand.

2. to appoint to an office or function; make or create.

   He was constituted treasurer.

3. to establish (laws, an institution, etc.).

   Synonyms:

   commission, institute

4. to give legal form to (an assembly, court, etc.).

5. to create or be tantamount to.

   Imports constitute a challenge to local goods.

6. Archaic. to set or place.

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constitute British  

/ ˈkɒnstɪˌtjuːt /

verb

1. to make up; form; compose

   the people who constitute a jury

2. to appoint to an office or function

   a legally constituted officer

3. to set up (a school or other institution) formally; found

4. law to give legal form to (a court, assembly, etc)

5. obsolete law to set up or enact (a law)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• constituter
  noun
• constitutor
  noun
• nonconstituted
  adjective
• self-constituted
  adjective
• self-constituting
  adjective
• unconstituted
  adjective
• well-constituted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• constituting
  present
• constituted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• constitute
  simple
• constitutes
  simple
• have constituted
  perfect
• has constituted
  perfect
• am constituting
  progressive
• are constituting
  progressive
• is constituting
  progressive
• have been constituting
  perfect progressive
• has been constituting
  perfect progressive

Past

• constituted
  simple
• had constituted
  perfect
• was constituting
  progressive
• were constituting
  progressive
• had been constituting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will constitute
  simple
• will have constituted
  perfect
• will be constituting
  progressive
• will have been constituting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of constitute

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin constitūtus, past participle of constituere “to set up, found”; see constituent

Explanation

To constitute is to make up a whole from smaller parts, or "constituents." "What constitutes a family?" means "What makes up a family?" Parents, kids, pets, and other family members constitute most people's idea of a family. The Constitution tells us what our country is all about and supposed to be made of — in other words, what constitutes the United States. This word can deal with the present or the future. The items listed in a recipe constitute what will be in a cake; later, the individual ingredients constitute the cake. Eleven players constitute a football team on the field. We can even say that abstract qualities are constituted. For example, some people think wearing sunglasses constitutes coolness. Since everything in the world is made up of other things, there's a lot of constituting going on.

Example Sentences

Does a stagnant labor market, as marked by a low unemployment rate, constitute genuine economic strength?

From Barron's • Jun. 12, 2026

The three Western powers that met at 10 Downing Street constitute the so-called E3 group and are some of Kyiv's strongest allies.

From BBC • Jun. 8, 2026

Depending on the facts and the state, that could constitute fraudulent misrepresentation, concealment or a breach of fiduciary duty.

From MarketWatch • May 20, 2026

District Judge George Hanks Jr. tossed the suit out, noting that the statement was obvious “rhetorical hyperbole that cannot constitute defamation.”

From Salon • May 16, 2026

The ship itself and the artifacts constitute a stunning time capsule, giving us a unique record of maritime and everyday life in Tudor England.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

Related Words

• create
• establish