Did you know?
Construe comes from the Latin verb construere, meaning "to construct." There is also misconstrue, meaning "to put a wrong construction (that is, a wrong interpretation) on" or "to misinterpret."
Did you know?
Construe can usually be translated as "interpret". It's often used in law; thus, an Attorney General might construe the term "serious injury" in a child-abuse law to include bruises, or a judge might construe language about gifts to "heirs" to include spouses. The IRS's construal of some of your activities might be different from your own—and much more expensive at tax time. Construing is also close to translating; so when the British say "public school", for instance, it should be construed or translated as "prep school" in American terms.
Examples of construe in a Sentence
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 10 June 2025
This article is not intended to be used as the sole basis for financial decisions, nor should it be construed as advice designed to meet the particular needs of an individual’s situation.
—William Jones, USA Today, 15 May 2025
Thus, to the extent that the IEEPA’s language is unclear, the major questions doctrine suggests that the law should be construed to not permit these tariffs.
—Ian Millhiser, Vox, 13 May 2025
The evidence for this is her (few) actions at the tournament, which are being construed as overwhelmingly negative.
—Stephanie McNeal, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for construe
Cite this Entry
“Construe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/construe. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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