construct
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
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something constructed.
Each musical note sign is a construct of three distinct parts: the head, the stem, and the hook.
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a mental image, idea, or theory, especially a complex one formed from a number of simpler elements.
Character is a construct of personal values, personal rules and morals, and a number of other facets, including self-control and willpower.
verb
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to put together substances or parts, esp systematically, in order to make or build (a building, bridge, etc); assemble
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to compose or frame mentally (an argument, sentence, etc)
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geometry to draw (a line, angle, or figure) so that certain requirements are satisfied
noun
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something formulated or built systematically
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a complex idea resulting from a synthesis of simpler ideas
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psychol a model devised on the basis of observation, designed to relate what is observed to some theoretical framework
Usage
What does construct mean? To construct means to build or create by putting parts together, as in Val constructed a whole town out of toy building blocks. A construct is something that is created, often with a complex form. The verb form of construct, pronounced kuhn-struhkt, is most often used to refer to buildings and monuments being built, but it can be used in any situation where something is built or parts are combined. You can construct a meal, for example, out of ingredients in your refrigerator or construct an outfit out of articles of clothing in your closet. The noun form of construct, pronounced kon-struhkt, is anything that is built, either literally or figuratively. It is most often used figuratively to describe something that is made up of practices or ideas from a specific philosophy or school of thought. Constructs are often complex theories that are informed by many smaller ideas of the way things work. Example: The gas company tried to construct a new pipeline, but the pipes kept leaking.
Synonym Usage
See make 1.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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constructornoun
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overconstructverb (used with object)
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preconstructverb (used with object)
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constructibleadjective
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quasi-constructedadjective
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well-constructedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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constructsimple
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constructssimple
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have constructedperfect
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has constructedperfect
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am constructingprogressive
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are constructingprogressive
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is constructingprogressive
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have been constructingperfect progressive
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has been constructingperfect progressive
Past
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constructedsimple
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had constructedperfect
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was constructingprogressive
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were constructingprogressive
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had been constructingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of construct
First recorded in 1400–50 for earlier past participle sense; 1655–65 for current senses; late Middle English, from Latin constrūctus (past participle of construere “to construe ”), equivalent to con- con- + strūc- (variant stem of struere “to build”) + -tus past participle suffix
Explanation
To construct things is to build them. You might construct a sand castle the next time you're at the beach, or you might construct a theory about why your brother always manages to get away with breaking the rules. The verb construct comes from the Latin word constructus, meaning “to heap up.” If you work in construction you're in the business of building things, and you probably construct buildings, roads, municipal parks, and other large permanent structures. Students of psychology are familiar with the noun form of construct, which refers to an abstract concept. Much of psychological theory is founded on constructs — like gender, morality, and intelligence.
Vocabulary lists containing construct
Latin Love, Vol I: struere
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Ancient Egypt and Kush, Lessons 1–3
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Cormac McCarthy's "The Road"
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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.
See Examples For:
To construct it, I started with a list of stocks that are recommended by any of the investment newsletters that my performance-auditing firm monitors.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 15, 2026
The researchers believe the bees mixed dirt with saliva to construct each tiny nest, which measured less than the size of a pencil eraser.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 5, 2026
Termites construct skyscrapers and beavers build majestic dams.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
The May headline number alone overstates the slowdown in single-family construction, the kind of houses most public builders construct.
From Barron's ● Jun. 16, 2026
They organized work forces to construct large irrigation systems for agriculture and to enclose large ponds for fish production.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
He and Erkılıç have achieved international acclaim for their team’s decades of foundational experimentation collaborating with dataset intelligences at the AI frontier, as well as for architecturally-scaled, narratively engaged visual embodiments of abstract technological constructs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 5, 2026
"What you see them do is navigate a world with the constructs of capitalism," he says.
From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026
Roan’s lipstick gone “awry” on her teeth brings a camp sensibility to both mock and celebrate feminine performance that resists traditional heteronormative constructs.
From Salon ● Feb. 19, 2026
In the other half, we reduced expression using "Tough Decoy" constructs.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 17, 2026
Bechareh, she probably constructs tales as a way of mourning the loss of her family, was the collective surmise of most of the wives.
From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri
To investigate, they constructed a ring of electronic resonators whose properties were rapidly adjusted in a carefully synchronized sequence.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
Like the kaleidoscopic sand mandalas constructed so devotedly by Buddhist monks—and just as ceremoniously swept away—Burning Man has been about ritualized impermanence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 7, 2026
A luxury skyscraper some 200 metres high -– the tallest building ever constructed in Athens –- has already been built and is visible from the city centre.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
Ferguson Marine in Port Glasgow has also constructed smaller units for the ships.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
The harmonic series is not just a useful idea constructed by music theory; it is often found in "real life," in the real-world physics of musical sounds.
From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones
The Philippine company has completed 1.2 gigawatts of renewable-energy capacity and is constructing an additional 2.2GW, which is expected to be commissioned by end-2026, the analyst notes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
For the filmed sequences, Weist worked with cinematographer and visual artist Abigail Raphael Collins, whose research has explored the role Hollywood has played in constructing public perceptions of American state power.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
By constructing the molecules from scratch in the laboratory, they confirmed the precise structures of secalosides A and B for the first time.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 6, 2026
Avant Homes is currently constructing 109 homes as part of a development called Darroch Fields.
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
Several people sent letters that recommended constructing a small building outside Garfield's window and filling it with ice.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
Definitions 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.
