constructive
adjective
con·struc·tive
kən-ˈstrək-tiv 
1
: declared such by judicial construction or interpretation
constructive fraud
2
: of or relating to construction or creation
3
: promoting improvement or development
constructive criticism
constructively
adverb
constructiveness
noun
Examples of constructive in a Sentence
I tried to offer constructive criticism.
Your feedback was not very constructive.
The program helps people recently released from prison figure out how they can play a constructive role in society.
Recent Examples on the Web
While direct confrontation can carry risks, especially with politically adept individuals, there are constructive ways to assess the situation and mitigate reputational exposure.
—
Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
Log in Real news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.
—Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 19 June 2025
In such a climate there was no such thing as constructive criticism.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
Although a clutch of other countries—including Brazil, India, and Ukraine—are expected to attend the G-7 as guests, the format lends itself to intimate and constructive conversation.
—Charles A. Kupchan, Time, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for constructive
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Benjamin Laker, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
Log in Real news can be honest, hopeful, credible, constructive.
—Ann Scott Tyson, Christian Science Monitor, 19 June 2025
In such a climate there was no such thing as constructive criticism.
—Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 June 2025
Although a clutch of other countries—including Brazil, India, and Ukraine—are expected to attend the G-7 as guests, the format lends itself to intimate and constructive conversation.
—Charles A. Kupchan, Time, 14 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for constructive
Cite this Entry
“Constructive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/constructive. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
constructive
adjective
con·struc·tive
kən-ˈstrək-tiv
: helping to develop or improve something
constructive suggestions
constructively
adverb
constructiveness
noun
Legal Definition
constructive
adjective
con·struc·tive
kən-ˈstrək-tiv
: created by a legal fiction: as
a
: inferred by a judicial construction or interpretation
b
: not actual but implied by operation of the law
made a constructive entry when he refused to take the opportunity for a voluntary departure—Harvard Law Review
compare actual
Harvard Law Review
constructively
adverb
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