constructive
adjective
Simple meaning
Related to the act of causing something to happen.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
kuhnstruhktivSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
kənstˈɹʌktɪv
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
adjective
Carefully considered and meant to be helpful.
Relating to or causing construction.
Serving a useful purpose.
Not direct or expressed, but inferred.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- B2 · Upper Intermediate (estimated)
- Frequency
- Moderately Common
- Typical Use
- Neutral / general English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Carefully considered and meant to be helpful.
Used this way, constructive is a reasonably familiar word with a clearly warm, approving pull. It quietly approves while staying precise.
- Emotional tone
- Positive
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Moderate
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Careful and exacting
- Usage feel
- Precise and approving
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use constructive
- “Constructive criticism.”adjective
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Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
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Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Word family
Words built from the same root.
Someone who contracts for and supervises construction (as of a building).
In a constructive manner.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
Comprises all acts or omissions or concealments involving breach of equitable or legal duty or trust or confidence.
The synthesis in living organisms of more complex substances (e.g., living tissue) from simpler ones together with the storage of energy.
Having the power and intention to have and control property but without direct control or actual presence upon it.
A trust created by a court (regardless of the intent of the parties) to benefit a party that has been wrongfully deprived of its rights.
A breach of contract committed prior to the time of required performance.
Action by a landlord that compels a tenant to leave the premises (as by rendering the premises unfit for occupancy).
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: carefully considered and meant to be helpful
Say it better
Looking for a more precise alternative? “constructive” can mean several things.
The opening works; the middle section loses the thread for me. Could we cut the second example?I'd keep the intro and rework the middle, it's doing two jobs at once.
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Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.