deconstruct
deconstruct Lexical Profile
deconstruct Game Scores & Validity
• verb
To analyze a text, concept, or cultural institution in order to expose its underlying assumptions, internal contradictions, and hidden biases.
"In her latest essay, the professor seeks to deconstruct traditional narratives surrounding 19th-century colonialism."
To break something down into its separate constituent parts in order to understand how it is made or to reinterpret it in a new way (especially in cooking, fashion, or design).
"The chef decided to deconstruct the classic apple pie by serving spiced apples, pastry crumbles, and vanilla cream separately on the plate."
Word Nuance & Usage
Originally a technical philosophical term popularized by Jacques Derrida, 'deconstruct' is often misused as a pretentious synonym for 'destroy' or 'demolish', whereas its core meaning involves analytical examination or breaking something down into its constituent parts.
• Rhymes for deconstruct
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 20th century from French 'déconstruire', a term adapted by philosopher Jacques Derrida from the Latin 'de-' (expressing reversal) and 'construere' ('to build or pile up together').