construction

/kənˈstɹʌkʃən/

//kənˈstɹʌkʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"construction" is a 12-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“construction” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #1,137 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#1,137
frequency rank, English
12
letters
20
tracked misspellings
5
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The process of constructing.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

construction vs contraction
83% similar
construction vs constructor
83% similar
construction vs constructive
83% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for construction
PropertyValue
Headwordconstruction
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/kənˈstɹʌkʃən/
Letters12
Frequency rank#1,137
Misspellings tracked20
Confusable pairs5
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “construction” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). construction lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for construction is 12 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /kənˈstɹʌkʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #1,137 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 10 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 20 likely wrong-spelling variants for construction, with forms such as "cconstruction", "cnostruction", and "connstruction". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 5 confusable-pair relationships, "contraction", "constructor", "constructive", and more, where similar look or sound leads writers to substitute one word for another in context.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English construccioun, construction, from Old French construction, from Latin cōnstructiō, from cōnstruere. Morphologically construct + -ion. The correct English form is construction, spelled C-O-N-S-T-R-U-C-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    The process of constructing.
  2. 2
    Anything that has been constructed.
  3. 3
    The trade of building structures.
  4. 4
    A building, model or some other structure.
  5. 5
    A (usually non-representational) structure, such as a collage etc.
  6. 6
    The manner in which something is built.
  7. 7
    A group of words arranged to form a meaningful phrase.
  8. 8
    The act or result of construing the meaning of something.
  9. 9
    The meaning or interpretation of a text, action etc.; the way something is viewed by an observer or onlooker.
  10. 10
    A geometric figure of arcs and line segments that is drawable with a straightedge and compass.

Etymology

From Middle English construccioun, construction, from Old French construction, from Latin cōnstructiō, from cōnstruere. Morphologically construct + -ion.

Synonyms

buildingconstrual

Antonyms

destruction

This word in other languages

construcción(Español)construction(Français)Bau(Deutsch)edificação(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: cconstruction,cnostruction,connstruction,consrtuction,consstruction,constrcution,constrruction,construcction,construciton,construcsion,constructino,constructionn,constructoin,constructtion,construtcion,consttruction,consturction,contsruction,cosntruction,ocnstruction

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of construction - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

cconstruction1cnostruction2connstruction1consrtuction2consstruction1constrcution2constrruction1construcction1
Edit distance from "construction"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "construction"?
"construction" is spelled C-O-N-S-T-R-U-C-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /kənˈstɹʌkʃən/.
What does "construction" mean?
As a noun, "construction" means: The process of constructing.
What words are commonly confused with "construction"?
"construction" is commonly confused with "contraction", "constructor", "constructive". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "construction"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "construction" is /kənˈstɹʌkʃən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "construction"?
From Middle English construccioun, construction, from Old French construction, from Latin cōnstructiō, from cōnstruere. Morphologically construct + -ion. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “construction”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is C-O-N-S-T-R-U-C-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /kənˈstɹʌkʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “contraction” - see the side-by-side comparison. construction vs contraction
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list