constructive
Americanadjective
-
helping to improve; promoting further development or advancement (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
- 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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“But I think the basketball stuff is really what differentiates the experience…knowing how to work in a team, how to build relationships, being able to handle constructive feedback when you screw up.”
"The success of this work is due in part to my colleagues and collaborators, whose guidance and constructive input were crucial," he said.
From Science Daily
“We continue to believe that ARR reacceleration remains the focus for investors to get more constructive,” RBC Capital Markets analyst Matthew Swanson said in a note to clients.
From MarketWatch
"We share land or maritime borders with 15 neighbouring countries and have always sought warm and constructive relations with all of them," he said.
From BBC
The union accuses management of introducing a new pension model that risks leaving staff worse off in retirement, and of not wanting to engage in constructive talks.
From Barron's
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.
