construct

American  

[kuhn-struhkt, kon-struhkt] / kənˈstrʌkt, ˈkɒn strʌkt /

verb (used with object)

• constructs,
  present (3rd person singular)
• constructed,
  past participle,  past
• constructing
  present participle

1. 

   to build or form by putting together parts; frame; devise.

   Synonyms:

   form, erect

2. Geometry. to draw (a figure) fulfilling certain given conditions.

---

noun

• constructs
  plural

1. something constructed.

   Each musical note sign is a construct of three distinct parts: the head, the stem, and the hook.

2. 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.

construct British  

verb

1. to put together substances or parts, esp systematically, in order to make or build (a building, bridge, etc); assemble

2. to compose or frame mentally (an argument, sentence, etc)

3. geometry to draw (a line, angle, or figure) so that certain requirements are satisfied

---

noun

1. something formulated or built systematically

2. a complex idea resulting from a synthesis of simpler ideas

3. 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

• constructor
  noun
• overconstruct
  verb (used with object)
• preconstruct
  verb (used with object)
• constructible
  adjective
• quasi-constructed
  adjective
• well-constructed
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• constructs
  plural

Participles

• constructing
  present
• constructed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• construct
  simple
• constructs
  simple
• have constructed
  perfect
• has constructed
  perfect
• am constructing
  progressive
• are constructing
  progressive
• is constructing
  progressive
• have been constructing
  perfect progressive
• has been constructing
  perfect progressive

Past

• constructed
  simple
• had constructed
  perfect
• was constructing
  progressive
• were constructing
  progressive
• had been constructing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will construct
  simple
• will have constructed
  perfect
• will be constructing
  progressive
• will have been constructing
  perfect progressive

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.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

construct constructs constructed constructing

"Our approach is to pick small goals we aim to prove with flight data and we construct an airframe for that one task."

From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026

Spielberg’s vision also reportedly included more than $7 million worth of renovations, as well as plans to construct a 2,400-square-foot guesthouse and a three-story guardhouse.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026

New technology allowed us to find and catalog such networks—to construct an atlas of the mind.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

He then promoted his work in San Diego to improve student performance, raise teacher salaries and construct “environmentally sustainable schools built by union workers.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026

Where you’ve nothing else construct ceremonies out of the air and breathe upon them.

From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy

Ghaderi says slidkrans is used particularly by healthcare professionals and in youth clinics but adds misinformation still exists emphasising the "need to change social constructs".

From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026

“It’s another medium for me to be able to articulate or dismantle those constructs around what makes sense together,” Kelela says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 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

It was September 1976, and the seven-sided theatre constructed from tubular steel in the heart of the city was described by some as something from out of space.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

For instance, 8.5% of buildings constructed before 2000 had a special assessment, with the typical owner footing a bill of nearly $2,500 per unit.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

Trump and his chosen leaders of the Kennedy Center have argued that its main building, which was constructed in the 1960s, is in a state of dangerous disrepair.

From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026

In the city of New Amsterdam, they grew crops and constructed important sites, including the palisade in 1653 that gave today’s Wall Street its name.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 13, 2026

"This trial was constructed with lies," I said.

From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson

This isn’t about optimizing every meal, spending three hours prepping identical containers or constructing the sort of Sunday routine that makes you feel behind when you inevitably skip it.

From Salon ● Sep. 22, 2026

Rather than constructing the desired quantum states one small piece at a time, their method can perform a wide variety of operations much faster.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 11, 2026

According to Gallup, 7 in 10 Americans oppose constructing data centers in their local areas.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026

He said that principle was essential to "constructing an economy that is fit for the 21st Century".

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

Jane and I spend the hours before Opening Night constructing the perfect preshow playlist, which comprises—as requested—odd-numbered pop punk songs and even-numbered tunes from musicals.

From "Will Grayson, Will Grayson" by John Green and David Levithan

Related Words

• build up
• compose
• create
• design
• erect
• establish
• fashion
• forge
• form
• formulate
• found
• manufacture
• organize
• produce
• put up
• set up
• shape