constructive
helping to improve; promoting further development or advancement (opposed to destructive): constructive criticism.
of, relating to, or of the nature of construction; structural.
deduced by inference or interpretation; inferential: constructive permission.
Law. denoting an act or condition not directly expressed but inferred from other acts or conditions.
Origin of constructive
1Other words for constructive
Other words from constructive
- con·struc·tive·ly, adverb
- con·struc·tive·ness, noun
- non·con·struc·tive, adjective
- non·con·struc·tive·ly, adverb
- non·con·struc·tive·ness, noun
- qua·si-con·struc·tive, adjective
- qua·si-con·struc·tive·ly, adverb
- un·con·struc·tive, adjective
- un·con·struc·tive·ly, adverb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use constructive in a sentence
Between the pandemic and the election — and in an era when the media and other forms of expertise are constantly being challenged in both constructive and unconstructive ways — there’s not a lot to feel certain about.
The Polls Weren’t Great. But That’s Pretty Normal. | Nate Silver (nrsilver@fivethirtyeight.com) | November 11, 2020 | FiveThirtyEightGovernment investments in education and homeownership, for example, can have constructive ripple effects in an economy that depends so fundamentally on consumer spending.
Veterans Day is a time to consider how to reward front-line covid-19 workers | James Grossman, Laura McEnaney | November 11, 2020 | Washington PostExperts say they see far more “constructive evictions” — cases in which people leave because they are pressured over missed rent and don’t know their rights.
Management company owned by Jared Kushner files to evict hundreds of families as moratoriums expire | Jonathan O'Connell, Aaron Gregg, Anu Narayanswamy | November 5, 2020 | Washington PostAnother email began with “Oy vey,” followed by “a little vent — with genuinely constructive thoughts.”
Drone Test Flight Moved Out of San Diego Following Safety Concerns | Jesse Marx | October 26, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoFran and her team provided examples of each kind of comment, to help employees know how to keep the conversation constructive.
How the World’s Best Workplaces have led the way in a year unlike any other | lbelanger225 | October 13, 2020 | Fortune
Indeed, the Republicans reaction to Immelt's appointment was both unconstructive and intemperate.
Bush, who agreed to the summit during a Camp David meeting with Sarkozy, has already started to make unconstructive noises.
British Dictionary definitions for constructive
/ (kənˈstrʌktɪv) /
serving to build or improve; positive: constructive criticism
law deduced by inference or construction; not expressed but inferred
law having a deemed legal effect: constructive notice
another word for structural
Derived forms of constructive
- constructively, adverb
- constructiveness, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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