Advertisement - Continue reading below

Definition of "deconstruct" [de•con•struct]

  • To break down into components; dismantle. (verb-transitive)
  • To write about or analyze (a literary text, for example), following the tenets of deconstruction. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "deconstruct" in a sentence
  • "Being able to "deconstruct" requires speaking and understanding a certain type of language, and subscribing to certain intellectual theories."
  • "I've found that when I "deconstruct" an art to develop variations, my original notes seem very simplistic."
  • "It might be helpful to "deconstruct" this conversation."