construct
Americanverb (used with object)
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constructs,
present (3rd person singular)
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constructed,
past participle, past
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constructing
present participle
noun
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constructs
plural
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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:
Meanwhile, new building codes, particularly around energy efficiency and fire suppression, have forced builders to construct more complex and expensive homes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Most towns and local governments have rules on how big a lot must be for a builder to construct a single-family home on it.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 13, 2026
Neanderthals may have used a sticky substance made from tree bark not only to construct tools but also to treat wounds and fight bacterial infections.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 11, 2026
I have to make the reality stylized, but I don’t want to do it in English, because then everything is a construct.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Using these images, engineers at the "Farm," a secret 9,000-acre CIA training facility in Virginia, were able to construct a mock-up of the manhole.
From "Spies: The Secret Showdown Between America and Russia" by Marc Favreau
As Perseverance moves, it continuously captures images of its surroundings, constructs a three-dimensional map of potential obstacles, and selects a safe route between destinations chosen by mission controllers.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 21, 2026
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
She didn’t want laws and social constructs to be fairer, less dangerous, more fulfilling for women as a concept; she wanted it for you, for me, for the lady in the back row.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 4, 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
He constructs small keepsake clocks for them depicting their favorite acts or performances.
From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern
These communities often constructed fortified sites, and strategically located settlements controlling surrounding territories.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2026
The companies it owns fall into three categories: accounting, IT services and the built environment, which includes services involved in getting buildings and infrastructure approved, constructed and maintained.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
The building was originally constructed in 1967 before being transformed into an upscale residential destination.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 29, 2026
To understand why the judge ruled that way, it’s important to go back a decade and examine how the agreement was constructed.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026
As Cathy Cohen has observed, ministers and members of black congregations have helped to develop what she calls the “indigenous constructed image of ‘good, black Christian folk.”’
From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander
The US economy has also been heavily supported in recent years by American technology companies making massive investments in AI, including by constructing data centres around the country.
From BBC ● Oct. 20, 2026
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
The arts center was founded by acclaimed Ghanaian artist Ibrahim Mahama, who Florenz said has proposed constructing a permanent building for the coffins.
From Los Angeles Times ● 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
Malcolm turned to his homework, constructing figures with his ruler and compasses, a task he normally enjoyed, but he couldn’t focus on it at all.
From "The Book of Dust: La Belle Sauvage" by Philip Pullman
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
