constructive
Americanadjective
-
helping to improve; promoting further development or advancement (opposed to destructive).
constructive criticism.
- Synonyms:
- useful, handy, helpful, productive
-
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.
adjective
-
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
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of constructive
1670–80; < Medieval Latin constrūctīvus, equivalent to Latin constrūct(us) ( see construct) + īvus -ive
Explanation
If you have a constructive idea about how to improve society, you should share it. Something that is constructive brings about improvement and growth. Constructive is an adjective associated with encouraging development, physical or otherwise. It is the opposite of destructive, which means "tending to destroy." If you are a constructive member of a community, you are a positive force, interested in building up and improving your community. You’ll often hear this word used in the phrase "constructive criticism," which refers to helpful criticism intended to encourage improvement. Negative criticism, in contrast, is just intended to show a person they're wrong.
Vocabulary lists containing constructive
Twelve Angry Men
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Fish in a Tree
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Latin Love, Vol I: struere
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“We view the move as constructive for gold, which appears to be presenting another solid entry point.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
She remains constructive on the AI cycle, while acknowledging expectations leave less room for disappointment.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 27, 2026
Someone can admit their responsibility for causing harm and sincerely apologize, which is the most constructive path for all involved.
From Salon ● Oct. 26, 2026
Health Secretary Yvette Cooper said the government had been in "constructive discussions" with the BMA so it was "disappointing" the strike dates had been announced.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
That they were admitted peacefully on the campus is due in good measure to the conduct of the students of the University of Alabama, who met their responsibilities in a constructive way.
From "While the World Watched: A Birmingham Bombing Survivor Comes of Age during the Civil Rights Movement" by Carolyn Maull McKinstry
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
