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.

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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

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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

These scans allowed the team to construct detailed topographical maps showing how the DNA molecules were positioned.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 10, 2026

It’s going to take electric utilities years, even decades, to construct enough infrastructure to power all the gigantic new data centers in the pipeline.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 4, 2026

This time, with the drive of a born iconoclast, Ford sheds plot even further — save the loose construct of three besties in search of their absent fourth.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 28, 2026

And the construct of derivative trades on volatility remains bullish, too.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026

On the other hand, Newcomen, unlike Savery, had to construct a moving piston, with all the difficulties of potential friction and leaking that entailed.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

“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

It is under that authority, and consistent with the long sweep of history, that the president constructs the ballroom.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

Once the selected become official members of the Green Lantern Corps, they can wield their rings to create astronomical constructs.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

"What you see them do is navigate a world with the constructs of capitalism," he says.

From BBC ● Apr. 21, 2026

These constructs may mock our self-importance, but approaching the world in any other way seems painfully naive.

From "Circumference" by Nicholas Nicastro

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

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

"What is especially fascinating about the hat tile is that, although the resulting pattern appears irregular at first glance, it is actually constructed from the honeycomb lattice," says lead author Yuto Moritake.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

A ghostly montage of the Twin Towers being constructed, set to composer Michael Nyman’s “Fish Beach,” brought New Yorkers to tears.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026

Streets were made of cobblestones or were unpaved; most buildings were constructed of wood and were only one story high; people walked or traveled on horseback or by horse and wagon.

From "The Boy on the Wooden Box" by Leon Leyson

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

Haynie said that in retrospect, the school might have been better off not constructing so much simultaneously.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 30, 2026

In contrast, neighboring Utah recycles very little of its water and is even constructing artificial recreational projects far inland, he said.

From Barron's ● Aug. 27, 2026

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

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

If there was one term that summed up the new science for those who were involved in constructing it, it was not ‘evidence’ but ‘experience’.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

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