Meaning & use

deconstruct

verb·Advanced

To take something apart or analyze it closely to reveal its underlying assumptions or structure.

See it in a sentence

The professor asked students to deconstruct the advertisement's hidden messages about beauty.

She deconstructed the recipe to understand why the sauce kept separating.

A note on using this word

Beyond literal disassembly, it often implies a critical examination of ideas, texts, or arguments.

Words with a similar meaning

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Words with an opposite meaning

Another way to use it

2. verb

To take an object or system apart physically into its component pieces.

The technician deconstructed the engine to identify the source of the leak.

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