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
Usa Today, USA Today, 14 Apr. 2026
This material is for illustration and discussion purposes and not intended to be, nor construed as, financial, legal, tax or investment advice.
—Katie Stockton, CNBC, 13 Apr. 2026
That’s because while there was fun and entertainment to be had, and while it could easily be construed as empowering (there is a real argument to be made there, about women owning their bodies, their sexuality, their presence), the segment also edged toward parody.
—Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2026
Because the current oil shock is the first one to take place since EVs became widely available, the energy crisis caused by the Iran war marks the first time that a gas-price spike cannot be construed as a universal condition.
—Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 11 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for construe
Cite this Entry
“Construe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/construe. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
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