constructive

adjective con·struc·tive \ kən-ˈstrək-tiv \

Updated on: 17 Apr 2018

Definition of constructive

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

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constructively

adverb

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constructiveness

noun

See constructive defined for English-language learners

See constructive defined for kids

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 of constructive from the Web

Hallowell outlines six common ADTs, complete with tables that list their positive and negative aspects (who doesn’t love self-diagnosing?), and provides constructive plans for overcoming them.

— charlotte cowles, The Cut, "8 Books to Read When You’re Stuck in a Rut at Work," 12 Apr. 2018
The group promotes constructive relations between the two nations, and the report said more than 150,000 U.S. jobs are supported by Chinese investment.

— jim puzzanghera, latimes.com, "Chinese investment in U.S. plunged last year, even before Trump threatened tariffs," 11 Apr. 2018
Also coming from the discussions are constructive critiques, such as students and parents wanting more teacher interaction and time to complete assessments, as well as a simplification of online communication tools and resources.

— john benson, cleveland.com, "Fairview Park City Schools hosting Summit Learning roundtable discussions," 9 Mar. 2018
Mass civil disobedience can use rage as a constructive and creative force.

— martin luther king jr., The Atlantic, "The Crisis in America’s Cities," 31 Mar. 2018
His former coach, UTSA’s Frank Wilson, always applauded the defensive end for being coachable and accepting constructive criticism.

— carter karels, San Antonio Express-News, "Marcus Davenport embraces change to handle NFL draft hype, UTSA pro day," 28 Mar. 2018
The judges will make constructive comments and criticism, but no winners or rankings will be awarded.

— emily sorensen, Pomerado News, "PUSD Band and Orchestra Festival begins Tuesday," 28 Mar. 2018
That’s because not every newborn baby is ready for its close-up, Mr. DeMille, and nobody is interested in reading a long, nuanced, constructive critique of a work-in-progress other than the artists themselves.

— kerry lengel, azcentral, "7 world premieres in 5 weeks — in Phoenix! From world-class ballet to community theater," 27 Mar. 2018
Jazz has brought him a confidence and a love for improvisation, not to mention the ability to take constructive criticism from his predominantly adult colleagues.

— donna vickroy, Daily Southtown, "Beverly teen musician finds his groove on Chicago's jazz scene," 23 Mar. 2018

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