without construing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "without construing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in legal or formal contexts to indicate that something is being stated or done without interpreting or explaining its meaning. Example: "The agreement shall be enforced as written, without construing any terms to favor one party over the other."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Twenty years before the movie "Nosferatu," James wrote about the sex lives of vampires in "The Sacred Fount," a novel that is nearly impossible to read today without construing the title as a reference to the purported sanative effects of sexual fluids.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

This allows us to speak in the usual fashion of the main connective of a given formula, the variables occurring in and more generally the subformulas of such and such a formula, and so on, without restricting ourselves to construing the formulas as obtained specifically by concatenating various symbols.

SEP

For example, they will deny that they are construing Brahman as a substance without properties.

SEP

"Construing the commerce clause to permit Congress to regulate individuals precisely because they are doing nothing would open a new and potentially vast domain to congressional authority," Mr Roberts wrote.But the mandate, the chief justice explained as he sided with the president's backup argument, may be considered a tax on those without insurance, and Congress has the power to tax.

The Economist

One of the most challenging tasks for construing neighbor discovery schedules is how two different schedules have the same active mode at the same time without any further information.

Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences

Malevich wrote much and said more about suprematism, his utterances veering between vigorous idealism, apocalyptic nihilism and a hazy eloquence so open to interpretation it has been construed without consensus many ways.

The Guardian - Arts

The most crucial question is whether charities may link to the Web sites of political campaigns without the links being construed as endorsements.

The New York Times

Mott realises that another year without silverware could be construed as more disappointment by critics, but believes that the team has been far more competitive than in recent seasons.

BBC

Maybe we can stop speculating about people's sexuality -- and let them live their lives as we wish to live ours, in full enjoyment of our personal liberty, in privacy and without our sexuality being construed as an argument for or against anything other than as an expression of our unique humanity.

Huffington Post

The lack of a control group of nonobese subjects without OSA could be construed as a weakness in the present study.

Disease Markers

By contrast, in line with his project of developing a metaphysics without ontology, Collingwood does not construe the distinction between reasons and causes in this way.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

To ensure clarity, when using "without construing", specify what should not be construed, or what the alternative action or understanding should be.

Common error

Avoid using "without construing" in casual conversation or informal writing; simpler phrases like "without interpreting" or "without understanding" are often more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "without construing" functions as a prepositional phrase that modifies a verb or clause, indicating an action should be performed or a situation should be understood without a specific interpretation or understanding. This aligns with Ludwig's analysis of the phrase, emphasizing directness and avoidance of inference.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

14%

Less common in

Formal & Business

14%

Wiki

12%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "without construing" is a formal prepositional phrase used to emphasize the absence of interpretation in understanding or acting upon something. Ludwig confirms its grammatical correctness and suitability for formal contexts like legal documents and academic writing. While infrequent, it serves to ensure clarity and prevent misinterpretations, as it sets clear boundaries for understanding. Related phrases like "without interpreting" can provide similar meaning in less formal settings. When using "without construing", specify the interpretation to avoid for maximum clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

not construing

A shorter, more direct negation of the act of construing.

without interpreting

Focuses on the act of not interpreting, highlighting a lack of active analysis.

not interpreting

A shorter, more direct negation of the act of interpreting.

without understanding

Emphasizes a lack of comprehension as a reason for not construing.

without inferring

Specifies the avoidance of drawing conclusions or making inferences.

without deducing

Highlights the absence of deductive reasoning in understanding something.

without assuming

Indicates the avoidance of making assumptions or presuppositions.

without presuming

Similar to assuming, but may imply a greater degree of unwarranted confidence.

without any interpretation

Adds emphasis to the absence of any interpretive effort.

excluding any interpretation

Explicitly excludes the possibility of any form of interpretation.

FAQs

What does "without construing" mean?

The phrase "without construing" means without interpreting or understanding something in a particular way. It suggests taking something at face value "without interpretation".

How to use "without construing" in a sentence?

You can use "without construing" to indicate that something should be understood literally or in a straightforward manner, "without inferring" additional meaning. For example, "The contract should be enforced as written, without construing any ambiguous terms."

What are some alternatives to "without construing"?

Some alternatives to "without construing" include phrases like "without interpreting", "without understanding", or "without assuming" depending on the context.

Is it better to use "without construing" or "without interpreting"?

The choice between "without construing" and "without interpreting" depends on the level of formality. "Without construing" is more formal and often used in legal or academic writing, while "without interpreting" is more generally applicable.