constructive

American  

[kuhn-struhk-tiv] / kənˈstrʌk tɪv /

adjective

1. helping to improve; promoting further development or advancement (destructive ).

   constructive criticism.

   Synonyms:

   useful, handy, helpful, productive

2. of, relating to, or of the nature of construction; structural.

3. deduced by inference or interpretation; inferential.

   constructive permission.

4. Law. denoting an act or condition not directly expressed but inferred from other acts or conditions.

---

constructive British  

/ kənˈstrʌktɪv /

adjective

1. serving to build or improve; positive

   constructive criticism

2. law deduced by inference or construction; not expressed but inferred

3. law having a deemed legal effect

   constructive notice

4. another word for structural

---

Other Word Forms

• constructively adverb
• constructiveness noun
• nonconstructive adjective
• nonconstructively adverb
• nonconstructiveness noun
• quasi-constructive adjective
• quasi-constructively adverb
• unconstructive adjective
• unconstructively adverb

Etymology

Origin of constructive

1670–80; < Medieval Latin constrūctīvus, equivalent to Latin constrūct(us) ( construct ) + īvus -ive

Example Sentences

Cargill called on the government and demonstrators to engage in a "constructive dialogue."

From Barron's

“We remain open to a constructive resolution with the city of Beverly Hills.”

From Los Angeles Times

Since then, it has digested those gains and carved out a constructive cup base with a pivot at $45.20.

From Barron's

Oppenheimer’s Wald wrote that, for now, “the weight of the market evidence remains constructive” for the home-builder sector, but he also noted that it remains “underappreciated” on Wall Street.

From MarketWatch

But Moderna said that after a "constructive" meeting the FDA had accepted the application for review based on a regulatory pathway focused on older adults.

From Barron's

Related Words

• effective
• positive
• practical
• productive
• useful
• valuable