construct

verb

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con·struct | \ kən-ˈstrəkt

constructed; constructing; constructs

Definition of construct

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to make or form by combining or arranging parts or elements : build construct a bridge also : contrive, devise construct a plan

2 : to draw (a geometrical figure) with suitable instruments and under specified conditions Construct a regular hexagon with sides 3 inches long.

3 : to set in logical order

construct

noun

con·struct | \ ˈkän-ˌstrəkt

Definition of construct (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : something constructed by the mind: such as

a : a theoretical entity … the deductive study of abstract constructs …— Daniel J. Boorstin

b : a working hypothesis or concept The unconscious was a construct that came from the daily effort to understand patients.

2 : a product of ideology, history, or social circumstances Privacy is more than a social construct or an idea; it is a condition of the body.— Sallie Tisdale

Other Words from construct Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About construct

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Other Words from construct

Verb

constructability or less commonly constructibility \ kən-ˌstrək-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

constructable or constructible \ kən-ˈstrək-tə-bəl

\ adjective

constructor \ kən-ˈstrək-tər

\ noun

Examples of construct in a Sentence

Verb They plan to construct a barn behind the house. The author constructs all the stories around one theme. Construct a triangle that has sides of equal length. Noun He argues that time is a subjective construct with no objective existence.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb After significant structural problems were discovered, IBA officials decided to demolish the building and construct a new multi-purpose community arts center at the site. — BostonGlobe.com, 16 July 2021 Nikolaidis and his colleagues began by studying how different people construct an Ikea bookcase. — Matt Simon, Wired, 9 July 2021 Local residents with bulldozers helped the crews construct fire lines that are still visible around Pa’auilo. — New York Times, 5 July 2021 Developer MAB Capital Investments of Chicago would also build a road to extend 141st Street 1/2 mile from Marilyn Road to Brooks School Road and construct 2 miles of walking trails. — John Tuohy, The Indianapolis Star, 3 July 2021 The men relocated to Los Angeles from Arkansas in the 1930s, spending their savings to purchase land at the corner of Slater Street and Imperial Highway and construct the two-story home that houses the current-day restaurant and corner market. — Garrett Snyder, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2021 Some people have an almost phobic fear of uncertainty and construct their lives to minimize it as much as possible. — Prudy Gourguechon, Forbes, 13 June 2021 By specifying exactly how perturbation theory works, Costello has created a basis upon which physicists and mathematicians can construct novel quantum field theories that satisfy the dictates of his perturbation approach. — Quanta Magazine, 10 June 2021 Researchers compare the genetic sequences of each viral sample and construct relationships by aligning and ranking genetic similarities and differences. — Marilyn J. Roossinck, The Conversation, 7 June 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The penguin metaphor construct becomes increasingly threadbare as the seasons progress. — Sarah Kurchak, Time, 16 July 2021 First, race is not fundamentally or essentially a matter of biology, but rather a social construct. — David Miguel Gray, Quartz, 2 July 2021 And that connection dramatically changes the construct and the idea behind this show. — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 16 June 2021 As part of this construct, the halls introduce a concept that has developed over the past 15 years: mineral evolution. — Jane Levere, Forbes, 5 June 2021 Everything related to markets is a social construct, an agreement in our societies. — Errol Schweizer, Forbes, 25 May 2021 Bennett’s multigenerational story asks: If race is a construct, who does and does not get to choose theirs? — New York Times, 20 May 2021 Beyond the issue of physicians using inaccurate racial labels, research has proven what scholars like W.E.B. Du Bois and Derrick Bell stated for decades: race is a social construct. — Ashley Andreou, Scientific American, 7 June 2021 Race as a construct and as a system is constantly changing to either incorporate or exclude different people at different times. — Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'construct.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.