construct an idea

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "construct an idea" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe the process of forming a thought or idea. For example, "She used her creativity to construct an innovative idea to solve the problem."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Normally the brain uses the information to construct an idea of the body's position in space.

The Guardian

But reports on social media and images uploaded on Twitter and YouTube filter out, helping to construct an idea of some of the political or human rights-motivated grievances there.

The New York Times

By contrasting the intensity of their emotions with the intellectual detachment of the French philosophy they debate, at perhaps a little too much length, The Marriage Plot is unapologetic in its treatment of love as a construct; an idea we build from parts scavenged from thousands of stories.

The Guardian - Books

Her emphasis on overcoming class divides and minority issues is especially salient as the Chinese grapple with their own rural and urban striation and construct an idea of the "China Dream". During a lively exchange near the end of her trip, giddy students at a high school in Chengdu, China's fourth-largest city, asked Obama questions about creativity and competitiveness in education.

The Washington Post

To be fair, Phillip is a confusing construct, an idea of a hood desperate for a father figure more than a flesh and blood character.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

In doing this, the faculty does not violate any of the standards Kant sets out within Transcendental Idealism, for reason is merely applying the formal principle of complete determination to all possible predicates and constructing an idea (or more precisely, an ideal) thereby.

SEP

"We've constructed an idea of masculinity in the United States that doesn't give young boys a way to feel secure in their masculinity, so we make them go prove it all the time," sociologist Dr. Michael Kimmel explains.

Huffington Post

Risk is a psychological construct [10], an idea constructed in the human mind from the aggregation of dimensions or categories of abstract or tangible perceived phenomenon.

Security Informatics

FOR years I tried to construct a viable idea of my long-gone father by piecing together scraps of other people's memories.

The New York Times

In grounded theory, emergent themes are not just used to explore an issue, but also to construct a cohesive idea or theory about an investigated phenomenon.

BMC Medical Ethics

These themes are not just used to explore an issue, but also to construct a cohesive idea or theory about an investigated phenomenon.

BMC Health Services Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "construct an idea" when you want to emphasize the active process of building or creating a new concept, theory, or understanding. For example, "Scientists use data to construct new ideas about the universe."

Common error

Avoid using "construct an idea" in overly abstract contexts where more concrete verbs like "develop", "form", or "create" would provide a clearer and more engaging description.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "construct an idea" functions primarily as a verb phrase. It describes the action of actively forming or building a concept. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

30%

Academia

30%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "construct an idea" is a grammatically sound and understandable way to describe the process of forming a thought or concept. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and usability. While not extremely common, its presence across diverse sources like The New York Times, The Guardian and various scientific publications indicate that it is suitable for many different contexts. It's best used to emphasize the active role of building and developing a new understanding, and it can be replaced with more specific alternatives like "develop a concept" or "formulate a theory" depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

formulate a concept

Focuses on the precise and clear expression of a concept.

develop a notion

Emphasizes the growth and refinement of a preliminary idea.

shape a thought

Highlights the act of giving form and direction to a thought.

form an understanding

Highlights the creation of comprehension and insight.

build a theory

Implies a more structured and elaborate development of an idea.

craft an opinion

Focuses on forming a judgment or belief based on reasoning.

devise a plan

Suggests creating a strategy or method from an idea.

conceptualize an image

Focuses on creating a mental picture or representation.

imagine a scenario

Suggests creating a possible situation or event in the mind.

hypothesize a solution

Emphasizes the creation of a tentative explanation or answer.

FAQs

How can I use "construct an idea" in a sentence?

You can use "construct an idea" to describe the process of building a thought or concept. For example, "The team worked together to construct an idea for the new marketing campaign."

What are some alternatives to "construct an idea"?

Some alternatives include "develop a concept", "formulate a theory", or "build a hypothesis", depending on the context.

Is it better to say "develop an idea" or "construct an idea"?

"Develop an idea" often implies growth and refinement, while "construct an idea" emphasizes the building process. Choose the phrase that best fits the context of your writing.

What is the difference between "construct an idea" and "conceive an idea"?

"Conceive an idea" suggests originating an idea, while "construct an idea" implies building or assembling it from various elements. "Conceive an idea" is about origination, while "construct" is about formation.