Meaning & use
deconstruct
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To examine something closely in order to reveal its hidden assumptions, structure, or contradictions.
Grammar: Takes an object: deconstruct the argument.
Patterns
- deconstruct something
- deconstruct how something works
The professor deconstructed the speech to show how it manipulated emotions.
Her book deconstructs the myth that hard work always leads to success.
Students were asked to deconstruct the advertisement's message.
verbtransitive
To take something apart physically into its separate pieces.
Grammar: Takes an object: deconstruct the machine.
Patterns
- deconstruct something
- deconstruct something into something
The mechanic deconstructed the engine to find the faulty part.
The artist deconstructs old furniture and turns it into sculptures.
The toy can be deconstructed into over fifty pieces.
Word forms
| third person singular | deconstructs |
|---|---|
| past tense | deconstructed |
| past participle | deconstructed |
| -ing form | deconstructing |
Common combinations
- deconstruct a text
- In literature class, we deconstructed a short story to see how the author created tension.
- deconstruct an argument
- The debate coach taught us to deconstruct an argument by identifying its premises.
- deconstruct a myth
- The documentary deconstructs the myth of the lone genius.
- deconstruct something into parts
- The engineer deconstructed the device into its basic parts.
Synonyms and how they differ
- analyze
- Analyze means to examine something carefully to understand it; deconstruct often adds the idea of revealing hidden assumptions or contradictions.
- dismantle
- Dismantle usually means to take apart a physical object; deconstruct can also mean to examine ideas critically.
- dissect
- Dissect means to cut apart or examine in fine detail; deconstruct is more about uncovering underlying structures or assumptions.
Opposites
Word family
- deconstruction noun
- The act or theory of deconstructing, especially in philosophy or literary criticism.
- deconstructive adjective
- Relating to or involving deconstruction.
Commonly confused: deconstruct or destruct?
deconstruct vs destruct
Destruct means to destroy something deliberately; deconstruct means to take it apart carefully to examine it. They sound similar but have very different meanings.
Practice
In her essay, she _____ the popular idea that technology always makes life easier.
Choose one answer.
Deconstructed means she examined the idea closely to reveal its flaws or assumptions, which fits the context of a critical essay. Constructed means built or created, instructed means taught, and obstructed means blocked—none of these make sense with 'the popular idea' in a critical analysis.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “deconstruct”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.