construing

Construe is a verb meaning to interpret, understand, or deduce the meaning of a statement, text, or action. It can also refer to arranging or understanding something in a particular way. The noun form construal refers to the interpretation itself or the way in which something is construed. The term derives from Latin construe, from construere, “to build together,” used metaphorically to describe building an interpretation from available evidence.

In general use, construe often implies inference beyond the literal words, whereas interpret can be broader and include judgment about significance, purpose, or intent. The choice of construe may signal a focus on how language or behavior is read rather than on explicit meaning alone. Phrases such as “cannot be construed as” limit or reject a proposed reading, and “construe this as” introduces a specific inference.

In legal contexts, construe is common in discussing the interpretation of statutes, contracts, and other instruments. Courts consider text, context, purpose, and policy, sometimes following a literal or plain-meaning approach, at other times adopting purposive or liberal constructions to give effect to the law’s objectives.

In linguistics and philosophy, construal refers to how individuals frame or interpret events, often highlighting perspective, intention, or cognitive representation. The term is also used in cognitive science to describe how people mentally construct meaning from linguistic input and situational cues.

Related terms include construal, interpretation, hermeneutics, and statutory construction.