MEANING
1. To examine the elements and assumptions of a text, idea, or system critically.
2. To take something apart into its component pieces.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- deconstruct an argument
- deconstruct a narrative
On the page
The essay deconstructs the campaign's image of national unity.
Word forms
- Base
- deconstruct
- Past tense
- deconstructed
- Past participle
- deconstructed
- Present participle
- deconstructing
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- deconstruct
- Present continuous
- am/is/are deconstructing
- Present perfect
- have/has deconstructed
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been deconstructing
- Past
- deconstructed
- Past continuous
- was/were deconstructing
- Past perfect
- had deconstructed
- Past perfect continuous
- had been deconstructing
- Future
- will deconstruct
- Future continuous
- will be deconstructing
- Future perfect
- will have deconstructed
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been deconstructing
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: academic / formal. Forms: deconstruct; deconstructs; deconstructed; deconstructed; deconstructing Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: analysis, explanation. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: deconstructs.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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