construed

[ kuhn-strood ]

adjective

1. interpreted or understood:

   Degrees from these “diploma mills” are often awarded based on vaguely construed life experience.

2. arrived at by inference or interpretation:

   Public interest must necessarily overlap with a correctly construed definition of “national interest.”

3. arranged or combined syntactically:

   Her soothing tones and delicate, thoughtfully construed statements only burrowed further and more painfully into his heart.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of construe ( def ).

Other Words From

• un·con·strued adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of construed¹

construe ( def ) + -ed ²( def )

Example Sentences

When communism was a threat, it was construed as a communist plot.

From The Daily Beast

Arguably under that logic, any action could be construed as “speech.”

From The Daily Beast

This could be construed as a jab at Kentucky Senator Rand Paul, who is actively considering both.

From The Daily Beast

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

From The Daily Beast

It's not an insult to farmers (though could be construed as one to Grassley); it's just a gaffe.

From The Daily Beast

In Havana, as throughout Cuba, there is a cigar etiquette, to infringe any of the rules of which is construed as an insult.

From Project Gutenberg

Lastly a contract dates from the time of acceptance, and is construed or interpreted by the law of the place where it was made.

From Project Gutenberg

More generally, leases of doubtful duration are construed in favor of the tenants.

From Project Gutenberg

As the company framed the policy all of its provisions in its favor are strictly construed.

From Project Gutenberg

But I never manifested my opinion in a way which can be construed into a crime, or which tended to occasion any disturbance.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• define
• infer
• interpret
• parse
• translate