constitute a team

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "constitute a team" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to talk about when a group of people come together to form a team. For example, "The five of us came together and constituted a team to compete in the tournament."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Labs, startups, a group in a corporation or even a spinoff can constitute a team.

TechCrunch

Competition rules may state a minimum number of players required to constitute a team, which is usually seven.

Wikipedia

Staffing of clinics in Bosnia and Herzegovina is quite standardized, where one physician and two nurses constitute a team, and each team shares one office space.

BMC Family Practice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Last year, a law student from the University of Wisconsin constituted a team of one, called Rural Juror.

The New Yorker

In 1936 both Life and Look were conceived in the United States, and a formula evolved in which the picture editor, photographer, researcher, and writer constituted a team.

Britannica

Purists will argue that this no longer constitutes a team but a working group, with one central figure to coordinate everyone's output.

Harvard Business Review

"The Ministry of Environment and Forests has constituted a team headed by the member secretary of the Central Pollution Control Board Shri J. S. Kamyotra," said a letter signed by Jayanthi Natrajan, the union Minister for Environment and Forests.

The New York Times

As a member of the Commission, Cherif constituted a team that documented the breadth and evidence of the crimes committed in just the first few months of the conflict/ethnic cleansing as to make it difficult to negate and thus bury the initiative for an international tribunal.

Huffington Post

The judges are likely to serve for decades, and they constitute a farm team for prospective Supreme Court appointments.

The New Yorker

Should Slovakia advance to the Round of 8, all of its best players would be available and would constitute a talented team under Peter Stastny, the former N.H.L. star.

The New York Times - Sports

"They had the capacity to constitute a good team, to have the men and the means," said Jean Todt, the president of the International Automobile Federation, the sport's governing body.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "constitute a team" to clearly indicate that specific individuals or elements are forming a functioning team unit. This phrase adds a level of formality suitable for reports, articles, or formal communication where precision is important.

Common error

Avoid using "constitute a team" when you actually mean "comprise a team". "Constitute" indicates forming the team, while "comprise" indicates what the team is made of. For example, say 'The members comprise a team' instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "constitute a team" functions as a verb phrase, indicating the act of forming or creating a team. As supported by Ludwig, this phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "constitute a team" is a grammatically sound and usable phrase, as validated by Ludwig. It's used to describe the act of forming or creating a team, often appearing in neutral contexts such as news, scientific, and wiki articles. While relatively uncommon, its precise meaning makes it useful in formal communication. Alternatives like "form a team" or "comprise a team" offer similar meanings, but it's important to differentiate "constitute" (to form) from "comprise" (to be made of) for accurate usage.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

form a team

Emphasizes the act of creating or establishing a team.

create a team

General term for bringing a team into existence.

comprise a team

Highlights the elements or members that make up a team.

make up a team

Similar to 'comprise', but with a more active connotation.

assemble a team

Suggests gathering members together to create a team.

put together a team

Indicates carefully selecting and organizing members for a team.

establish a team

Focuses on the creation and formal setup of a team.

build a team

Emphasizes the gradual development and strengthening of a team.

develop a team

Highlights the process of improving and refining a team's capabilities.

organize a team

Focuses on the structural arrangement and coordination of a team.

FAQs

How can I use "constitute a team" in a sentence?

You can use "constitute a team" to describe the process of forming a group of people into a functional unit. For example, "The five of us came together and constituted a team to compete in the tournament."

What is a synonym for "constitute a team"?

Alternatives to "constitute a team" include "form a team", "comprise a team", or "make up a team".

Is it correct to say "constitutes a team"?

Yes, but the correct verb form depends on the subject. Use "constitutes a team" when the subject is singular (e.g., "This group constitutes a team"), and "constitute a team" when the subject is plural (e.g., "These members constitute a team").

What's the difference between "constitute a team" and "compose a team"?

"Constitute a team" emphasizes the act of forming or creating a team, while "compose a team", though less common, suggests arranging or organizing the members of a team. They are similar but have slightly different nuances.