construct
gb/kˈɑnstɹʌkt/ us/kˈɑnstɹʌkt/
B1
English
~ 2300
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
To build or put together
To make something by joining parts together.
Usage pattern:
to construct [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'construct' with 'design'; 'construct' means to actually build, not just plan.
Synonyms
build (More common in everyday speech; often used for both physical and abstract things.)
Antonyms
demolish (Refers to taking apart or destroying a structure.)
Collocations
construct a building
|construct a bridge
|construct a road
|construct a model
|construct a sentence
Themes
construction
|engineering
|daily life
|daily_life
|work
|technology
Examples
- The company plans to construct a new office downtown.
- They constructed the bridge in less than two years.
- Workers are busy constructing houses along the river.
- The engineer constructed a scale model of the dam.
- We constructed a shelter from wood and metal sheets.
Learner examples
- They will construct a new school.
- Workers construct roads in the summer.
- My father constructs wooden chairs.
- We construct a small house for our dog.
Verb
B2
action
2
To create an idea or argument
To make an idea or plan by thinking carefully and putting facts together.
Usage pattern:
to construct [an argument/a theory/a plan]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'make' instead of 'construct' in formal contexts where precision is needed.
Synonyms
formulate (More formal; emphasizes careful and precise creation of ideas.)
Antonyms
dismantle (In this sense, means to break apart an idea or argument.)
Collocations
construct an argument
|construct a theory
|construct a plan
|construct a narrative
Themes
communication
|education
|thinking
|science
Examples
- She constructed a convincing argument for the proposal.
- The scientists constructed a new theory based on the data.
- He constructed a detailed plan for the project.
- They constructed a narrative that explained the events clearly.
Learner examples
- I will construct a plan for the trip.
- She constructed an idea for the story.
- We construct arguments in class.
- He constructed a theory about the weather.
Noun
technical
C1
entity
3
Something built or created, physical or mental
Something made or created, which can be real like a building or abstract like an idea.
Common mistake:
Learners often confuse 'construct' (noun) with 'construction'; 'construction' refers more to the process or industry.
Synonyms
concept (Common for abstract ideas; less likely for physical objects.)
Antonyms
natural phenomenon (Refers to something that exists without being made by people.)
Collocations
social construct
|theoretical construct
|mental construct
Themes
science
|education
|technology
Examples
- Gender can be seen as a social construct.
- The model is a useful scientific construct for explaining behavior.
- The building itself is an impressive construct.
Learner examples
- A story is a mental construct.
- A bridge is a physical construct.
- Money is a social construct.
Grammar
Dictionary form
construct
IPA
GB/kˈɑnstɹʌkt/
US/kˈɑnstɹʌkt/
Syllables & stress
con - struct (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (con)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: construct
- Plural: constructs
Verb
- Base: construct
- 3rd Person Singular: constructs
- Present Participle: constructing
- Past: constructed
Word family
Forms
constructs
noun
constructing
verb
constructed
verb
Core family
construction
noun A2
constructive
adjective B2
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
unconstructive
adjective
destructive
adjective B1
Advanced or less common
deconstruct
verb
deconstruction
noun
Expressions
construct a sentence
1/kənstɹˈʌkt ə sˈɛntəns/
fixed phrase
Make a full sentence
To put words together to make a complete sentence.
Examples
- It’s important to know how to construct a sentence correctly.
- The child is learning to construct simple sentences.
construct an argument
1/kənstɹˈʌkt ən ˈɑɹɡjəmənt/
fixed phrase
Make reasons for your opinion
To give clear and connected reasons to support your opinion or idea.
Examples
- Students must learn how to construct an argument in essays.
- He constructed an argument against the new law.
social construct
1/sˈoʊʃəl kˈɑnstɹʌkt/
fixed phrase
An idea made by society
An idea that people in society agree on, but that does not exist naturally.
Examples
- Race is often described as a social construct.
- The concept of beauty is largely a social construct.