# construction

/kənˈstɹəkʃən/ (US) · /kənstɹˈʌkʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/construction
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. building process

noun · CEFR B1

the act or process of building something large, like a house, bridge, or road.

For teachers: the process of building or assembling a large-scale structure, such as an edifice or infrastructure.

- The new library is still under construction and should open next year.
- The construction of the high-speed rail link was delayed by several months due to unforeseen geological challenges and budget overruns.

Usage: often used as an uncountable noun when referring to the activity itself.

### 2. the building industry

noun · CEFR B1

the business or trade of building houses and other structures.

For teachers: the commercial sector or industry involved in the creation of buildings and infrastructure.

- He found a well-paying job in construction after finishing school.
- Economic analysts noted a sharp decline in construction activity following the sudden increase in interest rates and material costs.

Usage: frequently used as a modifier before other nouns like 'worker' or 'site'.

### 3. a structure

noun · CEFR B2

something that has been built, such as a large building or a model.

For teachers: a physical entity or structure that has been built or assembled.

- The old bridge was a massive construction made of stone and iron.
- The architect designed a temporary construction of glass and timber to house the exhibition during the summer festival.

Usage: countable in this sense.

### 4. grammar

noun · CEFR C1 · Academic · Technical

the way words are put together to make a phrase or sentence.

For teachers: the arrangement of words or grammatical elements to form a meaningful phrase or sentence.

- The teacher explained that this specific construction requires a gerund.
- The passive construction is frequently employed in scientific writing to maintain an objective and impersonal tone.

Usage: refers specifically to the syntactic arrangement of language.

### 5. interpretation

noun · CEFR C2 · Formal · Technical

the way you understand or explain the meaning of something.

For teachers: the act of interpreting or assigning a specific meaning to a statement, action, or law.

- It is difficult to put a positive construction on such a rude comment.
- The court was asked to provide a definitive construction of the disputed clause in the contract to prevent further litigation.

Usage: often used with the verb 'to put' as in 'to put a construction on something'.

## Examples

- The new hospital is currently under construction.
- The city council halted the construction of the new bridge due to environmental concerns and budget overruns.
- While the physical construction of the gallery was impressive, critics focused more on the linguistic construction of the artist's manifesto, which they found unnecessarily opaque.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.