constructive

Definition

In legal contexts, something that doesn't actually exist but the law pretends it does for fairness reasons—like constructive notice or constructive eviction. It's the legal system's version of "let's agree to pretend this happened so we can achieve justice." Outside law, it just means feedback that's actually helpful rather than disguised criticism, though good luck finding much of that.

Example Usage

The court found constructive eviction when the landlord's failure to repair the heating system made the apartment uninhabitable.

Source: Legal terminology

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