constitute

verb

con·​sti·​tute ˈkän(t)-stə-ˌtüt 

-ˌtyüt

constituted; constituting

transitive verb

1

: make up, form, compose

12 months constitute a year.

… high school dropouts who constitute a major problem in large city slums.

—J. B. Conant

2

: set up, establish: such as

a

: enact

regulations as are constituted by the government

b

: found

constitute a provisional government

c(1)

: to give due or lawful form to

an agreement constituted by writing

(2)

: to legally process

3

: to appoint to an office, function, or dignity

Legal authority constitutes all magistrates.

Synonyms

• comprise
• compose

Examples of constitute in a Sentence

Women constitute 70 percent of the student population at the college.

nine players constitute a baseball team

Recent Examples on the Web

Additionally, a firm or an advisor's appearance on our ranking does not constitute an individual endorsement by CNBC of any firm or advisor. —Kate Dore, Cfp®, Ea, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025

In itself, working from photos didn’t constitute a radical departure in process from his usual method. —Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2025

Their suit argues that the state legislature’s 2024 redistricting plan—Senate Bill 8, known as SB 8—constituted an unconstitutional racial gerrymander in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. —Robert Alexander, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 Oct. 2025

Six Facts about the Recent Employment Effects of Artificial Intelligence constitutes one of the first attempts to trace, by means of actual, hard data, how AI is reshaping the American labor market. —Big Think, 13 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Latin constitutus, past participle of constituere to set up, constitute, from com- + statuere to set — more at statute

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for constitute

• absolute
• arrowroot
• attribute
• bitterroot
• convolute
• destitute
• disrepute
• dissolute
• execute
• institute
• involute
• kiwifruit

Kids Definition

constitute

verb

con·​sti·​tute ˈkän(t)-stə-ˌt(y)üt 

constituted; constituting

1

: to appoint to an office or duty

constituted authorities

2

: set up sense 4, establish

a fund was constituted to help needy students

3

: make up sense 2, form

twelve months constitute a year

Legal Definition

constitute

transitive verb

con·​sti·​tute ˈkän-stə-ˌtüt, -ˌtyüt 

1

: to appoint to an office or function

those who are constituted heirs or named legatees

—Louisiana Civil Code

legal authority constitutes all magistrates

2

: establish, found

to constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court

—U.S. Constitution art. I

3

a

: to put (as an agreement) into required form

b

: to qualify as

a letter can constitute a will

—W. M. McGovern, Jr. et al.

failure to act may constitute negligence

c

: to form the substance or whole of

the bonds constituted the entire estate