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, 24 Oct. 2025
However, the views and opinions expressed by individual faculty, staff, or students are solely their own and should not be construed as reflecting the official stance of Howard University.
—Peter D'abrosca, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2025
This means revenue from its sale could be construed as money laundering from a federal perspective.
—Peter Su, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2025
This material should not be construed as a recommendation, or advice or an offer or solicitation with respect to the purchase or sale of any investment.
—Katie Stockton, CNBC, 20 Oct. 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 31 Oct. 2025.
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