construct

verb

con·struct | \ kən-ˈstrəkt

constructed; constructing; constructs

Definition of construct

(Entry 1 of 2)

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

The body was constructed using a steel I-beam frame covered in copper sheets 3/32 inches thick — about the same thickness as two U.S. pennies put together. — Aaron Steckelberg, Washington Post, "The Washington Monument," 17 Sep. 2019 Supported by a gift from the Brewers Association, the museum is constructing this archive for the benefit of scholars, brewers and millions of Americans. — Theresa Mcculla, Smithsonian, "Here’s What’s Brewing in the New Smithsonian Beer Collections," 16 Sep. 2019 And so, in the early years of Kagame’s rule, a series of beautiful new homes were constructed for the Ugandan newcomers in Kigali. — Harper's magazine, "Letters," 16 Sep. 2019 The roughly 700 miles of fencing along the nearly 2,000-mile U.S.-Mexico border were all constructed under Trump’s predecessors. — Los Angeles Times, "Trump and the hurricane: How much damage did he do?," 13 Sep. 2019 In cities, compact row houses were constructed with small rooms, each with a specific purpose, one of which was sleeping. — Brian Fagan, The Conversation, "The bizarre social history of beds," 13 Sep. 2019 Forest Hills’ building project was constructed in phases. — Jeanne Houck, Cincinnati.com, "Public invited to tour Forest Hills' new and renovated schools," 10 Sep. 2019 The cottages will be constructed on the south and east ends of the project, including facing Promenade Drive, Superior Drive, Discovery Parkway and some other streets. — Kristina Pritchett, The Denver Post, "Superior trustees to discuss project that would bring 300 homes to downtown," 8 Sep. 2019 The big courtroom moments the film constructs for Stevenson, by contrast, sound like prepackaged American idealism. — John Defore, The Hollywood Reporter, "'Just Mercy': Film Review | TIFF 2019," 7 Sep. 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

Time is a construct — this is the ethos that’s kept Jeff Lynne’s Electric Light Orchestra relevant within the pop lexicon for years. — Washington Post, "14 things to do in the D.C. area this week," 9 July 2019 In other words, it can be argued that noise is a social construct. — Soleil Ho, SFChronicle.com, "Why we need to rethink the concept of noise in restaurants," 13 Sep. 2019 For example, students will be able to study musical instruments such as violins on a molecular level, examining the construct of the wood. — Slade Rand, courant.com, "UConn fine arts and engineering schools welcome $5M donation, launch new partnership," 12 Sep. 2019 Winning, losing, leadership, not spending the entire year talking about the value of postseason experience and then shooting 30% from the field over four straight playoff losses—maybe all these concepts are social constructs. — Andrew Sharp, SI.com, "Giannis, Jokic and a Guide to the 2020 NBA MVP Odds," 4 Sep. 2019 The social construct of race became tightly tethered to legal status, causing problems that ripple down to the present day. — National Geographic, "400 years ago, enslaved Africans first arrived in Virginia," 13 Aug. 2019 The three falls were all wrestled under different constructs, with the first being a prototypical wrestling match, a street fight for the second, and a cage match for the third. — Justin Barrasso, SI.com, "NXT Builds Hybrid TakeOver Pay Per View Into Best Product in Industry," 11 Aug. 2019 We are told that gender is a social construct and people can jump from one gender to another according to choice. — The Economist, "The centre cannot hold - the failure of Change UK and the atrophying of political thought," 19 June 2019 My mind touches daily on the work done in that room—on the lens that Morrison made for examining constructs of blackness in the American imagination. — Troy Patterson, The New Yorker, "The Indelible Substance of a Semester with Toni Morrison," 7 Aug. 2019

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.