Meaning & use
reconstructing
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“reconstructing” is a form of “reconstruct”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
verbtransitive
Building again something that was damaged, destroyed, or no longer exists.
Grammar: Takes an object: reconstructing the bridge. The base form is reconstruct, not reconstructing, after to or a modal.
Patterns
- reconstructing something
- be reconstructing something
- start reconstructing something
Engineers are reconstructing the old stone bridge after the flood.
The city began reconstructing the market square last spring.
They spent years reconstructing the castle walls with original materials.
verbtransitiveformal
Creating a full picture or account of past events from available evidence.
Grammar: Takes an object such as an event, a story, or a crime; often used in research and police work.
Patterns
- reconstructing an event
- reconstructing the past
- reconstructing what happened
Historians are reconstructing daily life in the Roman town from pottery and letters.
Police are reconstructing the final minutes before the accident.
By reconstructing the trade routes, she showed how goods moved across the region.
Word forms
| third person singular | reconstructs |
|---|---|
| past tense | reconstructed |
| past participle | reconstructed |
| -ing form | reconstructing |
Common combinations
- reconstructing the past
- The documentary is reconstructing the past through old photographs.
- begin reconstructing
- Workers will begin reconstructing the roof next month.
- reconstructing a crime
- The team is reconstructing a crime to test the witness's story.
- carefully reconstructing
- She is carefully reconstructing the damaged manuscript.
Synonyms and how they differ
- rebuilding
- Use rebuilding for physical structures; reconstructing is broader and also fits stories or events.
- recreating
- Recreating suggests making something feel new again, while reconstructing stresses using evidence to get the original back.
Opposites
Word family
- reconstruction noun
- The act or result of building or piecing something together again.
- reconstructive adjective
- Describing surgery or work that rebuilds a damaged part.
- reconstruct verb
- The base form used after to or a modal verb.
Commonly confused: reconstructing or reconstruction?
reconstructing vs reconstruction
Reconstruction is the noun; reconstructing is the -ing verb form. Say 'They are reconstructing the wall,' not 'They are reconstruction the wall.'
Practice
Choose the correct sentence.
Choose one answer.
After are we need the -ing form reconstructing. 'Reconstruct' is the base form, 'reconstruction' is a noun, and 'reconstructs' is used with he/she/it.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “reconstructing”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.