constructive
Americanadjective
-
helping to improve; promoting further development or advancement (destructive ).
constructive criticism.
- Synonyms:
- useful, handy, helpful, productive
-
of, relating to, or of the nature of construction; structural.
-
deduced by inference or interpretation; inferential.
constructive permission.
-
Law. denoting an act or condition not directly expressed but inferred from other acts or conditions.
adjective
-
serving to build or improve; positive
constructive criticism
-
law deduced by inference or construction; not expressed but inferred
-
law having a deemed legal effect
constructive notice
-
another word for structural
Other Word Forms
- constructively adverb
- constructiveness noun
- nonconstructive adjective
- nonconstructively adverb
- nonconstructiveness noun
- quasi-constructive adjective
- quasi-constructively adverb
- unconstructive adjective
- unconstructively adverb
Etymology
Origin of constructive
1670–80; < Medieval Latin constrūctīvus, equivalent to Latin constrūct(us) ( construct ) + īvus -ive
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“APP’s pace of ad targeting innovation over the past three years leaves us constructive on their ability to consistently and meaningfully improve on the performance of the ad network across verticals,” the analysts wrote.
From Barron's
“We remain constructive on the stock and see Arista as a core winner in AI networking with durable growth prospects underpinned by the company’s best-in-class Ethernet products,” William Blair’s Naji wrote.
From Barron's
This all aligns with Citi’s view for 2026, he adds, which will contain periods of volatility amidst a still “very constructive backdrop…in terms of the price action for U.S. equities.”
From MarketWatch
The bank’s first-quarter earnings were about 8% stronger than MS had expected, and Wiles says he’s now more constructive on the outlook for both capital and dividends.
Or will he restrain himself, act presidential, deliver results and create constructive change?
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
