WordValeconstitute
to be or form part of
In more detail
1. (verb) to be or form something; to make up or compose
2. (verb) to establish or create something officially or formally
Examples
- 1. Women constitute about 52 percent of the population.
- 2. The government constituted a new committee to investigate the issue.
How to use constitute
Constitute is a formal, somewhat technical verb used in legal, political, and administrative contexts to describe what something is or how it is formed. It is more precise and formal than simple alternatives like 'be' or 'make,' and often appears in official documents and academic writing to state definitively that something meets a particular definition or category.
Common phrases
- constitute a majority
- constitute a threat
- constitute evidence
- constitute a violation
- legally constituted
- constitute part of
Synonyms
form · make up · compose · establish · create
Opposites
dissolve · disband
Word family
constitution · constitutional · constituent · unconstitutional
A common mistake
Learners sometimes confuse the two senses and fail to recognize that constitute can mean both 'to compose' (what things make up something) and 'to establish' (to create or set up formally); the context determines which applies.
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