diff --git a/docs/md/entity.md b/docs/md/entity.md
index 5f91c3a29..09e4dbd58 100644
--- a/docs/md/entity.md
+++ b/docs/md/entity.md
@@ -324,32 +324,33 @@ the component owned by an entity if any, a null pointer otherwise.
 
 ## Observe changes
 
-Because of how the registry works internally, it stores a couple of signal
+Because of how the registry works internally, it stores a bunch of signal
 handlers for each pool in order to notify some of its data structures on the
-construction and destruction of components.<br/>
+construction and destruction of components or when an instance of a component is
+explicitly replaced by the user.<br/>
 These signal handlers are also exposed and made available to users. These are
 the basic bricks to build fancy things like dependencies and reactive systems.
 
 To get a sink to be used to connect and disconnect listeners so as to be
-notified on the creation of a component, use the `construction` member function:
+notified on the creation of a component, use the `on_construct` member function:
 
 ```cpp
 // connects a free function
-registry.construction<position>().connect<&my_free_function>();
+registry.on_construct<position>().connect<&my_free_function>();
 
 // connects a member function
-registry.construction<position>().connect<&my_class::member>(&instance);
+registry.on_construct<position>().connect<&my_class::member>(&instance);
 
 // disconnects a free function
-registry.construction<position>().disconnect<&my_free_function>();
+registry.on_construct<position>().disconnect<&my_free_function>();
 
 // disconnects a member function
-registry.construction<position>().disconnect<&my_class::member>(&instance);
+registry.on_construct<position>().disconnect<&my_class::member>(&instance);
 ```
 
-To be notified when components are destroyed, use the `destruction` member
-function instead. Finally, the `update` member function will return a sink to
-which to connect listeners to observe changes on components.
+To be notified when components are destroyed, use the `on_destroy` member
+function instead. Finally, the `on_replace` member function will return a sink
+to which to connect listeners to observe changes on components.
 
 The function type of a listener for the construction signal should be equivalent
 to the following:
@@ -362,9 +363,9 @@ Where `Component` is intuitively the type of component of interest. In other
 words, a listener is provided with the registry that triggered the notification
 and the entity affected by the change, in addition to the newly created
 instance.<br/>
-The function type of a listener to be notified about changes is the same of that
-of the construction signal. The one the destruction signal is also similar,
-except for the `Component` parameter:
+The sink returned by the `on_replace` member function accepts listeners the
+signature of which is the same of that of the construction signal. The one of
+the destruction signal is also similar, except for the `Component` parameter:
 
 ```cpp
 void(registry &, entt::entity);
@@ -817,7 +818,7 @@ The following adds components `a_type` and `another_type` whenever `my_type` is
 assigned to an entity:
 
 ```cpp
-entt::connnect<a_type, another_type>(registry.construction<my_type>());
+entt::connnect<a_type, another_type>(registry.on_construct<my_type>());
 ```
 
 A component is assigned to an entity and thus default initialized only in case
@@ -826,7 +827,7 @@ be overriden.<br/>
 A dependency can easily be broken by means of the following function template:
 
 ```cpp
-entt::disconnect<a_type, another_type>(registry.construction<my_type>());
+entt::disconnect<a_type, another_type>(registry.on_construct<my_type>());
 ```
 
 ### Tags
diff --git a/src/entt/entity/registry.hpp b/src/entt/entity/registry.hpp
index 8be6b657c..ccaad14e9 100644
--- a/src/entt/entity/registry.hpp
+++ b/src/entt/entity/registry.hpp
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ class basic_registry {
         template<typename... Args>
         Component & construct(const Entity entt, Args &&... args) {
             auto &component = sparse_set<Entity, Component>::construct(entt, std::forward<Args>(args)...);
-            construction.publish(*owner, entt, component);
+            on_construct.publish(*owner, entt, component);
             return component;
         }
 
@@ -75,9 +75,9 @@ class basic_registry {
         Component * batch(It first, It last) {
             auto *component = sparse_set<Entity, Component>::batch(first, last);
 
-            if(!construction.empty()) {
+            if(!on_construct.empty()) {
                 std::for_each(first, last, [component, this](const auto entt) mutable {
-                    construction.publish(*owner, entt, *(component++));
+                    on_construct.publish(*owner, entt, *(component++));
                 });
             }
 
@@ -85,22 +85,22 @@ class basic_registry {
         }
 
         void destroy(const Entity entt) override {
-            destruction.publish(*owner, entt);
+            on_destroy.publish(*owner, entt);
             sparse_set<Entity, Component>::destroy(entt);
         }
 
         template<typename... Args>
         Component & replace(const Entity entt, Args &&... args) {
             Component component{std::forward<Args>(args)...};
-            update.publish(*owner, entt, component);
+            on_replace.publish(*owner, entt, component);
             auto &other = sparse_set<Entity, Component>::get(entt);
             std::swap(other, component);
             return other;
         }
 
-        sigh<void(basic_registry &, const Entity, Component &)> construction;
-        sigh<void(basic_registry &, const Entity, Component &)> update;
-        sigh<void(basic_registry &, const Entity)> destruction;
+        sigh<void(basic_registry &, const Entity, Component &)> on_construct;
+        sigh<void(basic_registry &, const Entity, Component &)> on_replace;
+        sigh<void(basic_registry &, const Entity)> on_destroy;
         basic_registry *owner;
     };
 
@@ -316,11 +316,11 @@ class basic_registry {
                 auto *curr = static_cast<group_type *>(gdata.data.get());
                 const auto cpools = std::make_tuple(assure<Get>()..., assure<Exclude>()...);
 
-                (std::get<pool_type<Get> *>(cpools)->destruction.sink().template connect<&group_type::template destroy_if<>>(curr), ...);
-                (std::get<pool_type<Get> *>(cpools)->construction.sink().template connect<&group_type::template maybe_valid_if<Get, Get>>(curr), ...);
+                (std::get<pool_type<Get> *>(cpools)->on_destroy.sink().template connect<&group_type::template destroy_if<>>(curr), ...);
+                (std::get<pool_type<Get> *>(cpools)->on_construct.sink().template connect<&group_type::template maybe_valid_if<Get, Get>>(curr), ...);
 
-                (std::get<pool_type<Exclude> *>(cpools)->destruction.sink().template connect<&group_type::template maybe_valid_if<Exclude>>(curr), ...);
-                (std::get<pool_type<Exclude> *>(cpools)->construction.sink().template connect<&group_type::template destroy_if<Exclude>>(curr), ...);
+                (std::get<pool_type<Exclude> *>(cpools)->on_destroy.sink().template connect<&group_type::template maybe_valid_if<Exclude>>(curr), ...);
+                (std::get<pool_type<Exclude> *>(cpools)->on_construct.sink().template connect<&group_type::template destroy_if<Exclude>>(curr), ...);
 
                 for(const auto entity: view<Get...>()) {
                     if(!(has<Exclude>(entity) || ...)) {
@@ -354,14 +354,14 @@ class basic_registry {
                 auto *curr = static_cast<group_type *>(gdata.data.get());
                 const auto cpools = std::make_tuple(assure<Owned>()..., assure<Get>()..., assure<Exclude>()...);
 
-                (std::get<pool_type<Owned> *>(cpools)->construction.sink().template connect<&group_type::template maybe_valid_if<Owned, Owned>>(curr), ...);
-                (std::get<pool_type<Owned> *>(cpools)->destruction.sink().template connect<&group_type::template discard_if<>>(curr), ...);
+                (std::get<pool_type<Owned> *>(cpools)->on_construct.sink().template connect<&group_type::template maybe_valid_if<Owned, Owned>>(curr), ...);
+                (std::get<pool_type<Owned> *>(cpools)->on_destroy.sink().template connect<&group_type::template discard_if<>>(curr), ...);
 
-                (std::get<pool_type<Get> *>(cpools)->construction.sink().template connect<&group_type::template maybe_valid_if<Get, Get>>(curr), ...);
-                (std::get<pool_type<Get> *>(cpools)->destruction.sink().template connect<&group_type::template discard_if<>>(curr), ...);
+                (std::get<pool_type<Get> *>(cpools)->on_construct.sink().template connect<&group_type::template maybe_valid_if<Get, Get>>(curr), ...);
+                (std::get<pool_type<Get> *>(cpools)->on_destroy.sink().template connect<&group_type::template discard_if<>>(curr), ...);
 
-                (std::get<pool_type<Exclude> *>(cpools)->destruction.sink().template connect<&group_type::template maybe_valid_if<Exclude>>(curr), ...);
-                (std::get<pool_type<Exclude> *>(cpools)->construction.sink().template connect<&group_type::template discard_if<Exclude>>(curr), ...);
+                (std::get<pool_type<Exclude> *>(cpools)->on_destroy.sink().template connect<&group_type::template maybe_valid_if<Exclude>>(curr), ...);
+                (std::get<pool_type<Exclude> *>(cpools)->on_construct.sink().template connect<&group_type::template discard_if<Exclude>>(curr), ...);
 
                 const auto *cpool = std::min({ static_cast<sparse_set<entity_type> *>(std::get<pool_type<Owned> *>(cpools))... }, [](const auto *lhs, const auto *rhs) {
                     return lhs->size() < rhs->size();
@@ -1047,8 +1047,8 @@ public:
      * @return A temporary sink object.
      */
     template<typename Component>
-    auto construction() ENTT_NOEXCEPT {
-        return assure<Component>()->construction.sink();
+    auto on_construct() ENTT_NOEXCEPT {
+        return assure<Component>()->on_construct.sink();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1056,7 +1056,7 @@ public:
      *
      * A sink is an opaque object used to connect listeners to components.<br/>
      * The sink returned by this function can be used to receive notifications
-     * whenever an instance of the given component is updated.
+     * whenever an instance of the given component is explicitly replaced.
      *
      * The function type for a listener is equivalent to:
      * @code{.cpp}
@@ -1074,8 +1074,8 @@ public:
      * @return A temporary sink object.
      */
     template<typename Component>
-    auto update() ENTT_NOEXCEPT {
-        return assure<Component>()->update.sink();
+    auto on_replace() ENTT_NOEXCEPT {
+        return assure<Component>()->on_replace.sink();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1102,8 +1102,8 @@ public:
      * @return A temporary sink object.
      */
     template<typename Component>
-    auto destruction() ENTT_NOEXCEPT {
-        return assure<Component>()->destruction.sink();
+    auto on_destroy() ENTT_NOEXCEPT {
+        return assure<Component>()->on_destroy.sink();
     }
 
     /**
@@ -1236,7 +1236,7 @@ public:
      */
     template<typename Component>
     void reset() {
-        if(auto *cpool = assure<Component>(); cpool->destruction.empty()) {
+        if(auto *cpool = assure<Component>(); cpool->on_destroy.empty()) {
             // no group set, otherwise the signal wouldn't be empty
             cpool->reset();
         } else {
diff --git a/test/entt/entity/helper.cpp b/test/entt/entity/helper.cpp
index 088e03ec6..a75b58640 100644
--- a/test/entt/entity/helper.cpp
+++ b/test/entt/entity/helper.cpp
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ TEST(Helper, AsGroup) {
 TEST(Helper, Dependency) {
     entt::registry registry;
     const auto entity = registry.create();
-    entt::connect<double, float>(registry.construction<int>());
+    entt::connect<double, float>(registry.on_construct<int>());
 
     ASSERT_FALSE(registry.has<double>(entity));
     ASSERT_FALSE(registry.has<float>(entity));
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ TEST(Helper, Dependency) {
     registry.remove<int>(entity);
     registry.remove<double>(entity);
     registry.remove<float>(entity);
-    entt::disconnect<double, float>(registry.construction<int>());
+    entt::disconnect<double, float>(registry.on_construct<int>());
     registry.assign<int>(entity);
 
     ASSERT_FALSE(registry.has<double>(entity));
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ TEST(Helper, Dependency) {
 
 TEST(Dependency, MultipleListenersOnTheSameType) {
     entt::registry registry;
-    entt::connect<double>(registry.construction<int>());
-    entt::connect<char>(registry.construction<int>());
+    entt::connect<double>(registry.on_construct<int>());
+    entt::connect<char>(registry.on_construct<int>());
 
     const auto entity = registry.create();
     registry.assign<int>(entity);
diff --git a/test/entt/entity/registry.cpp b/test/entt/entity/registry.cpp
index e6ba514ce..22cb7e4e0 100644
--- a/test/entt/entity/registry.cpp
+++ b/test/entt/entity/registry.cpp
@@ -854,8 +854,8 @@ TEST(Registry, Signals) {
     entt::registry registry;
     listener listener;
 
-    registry.construction<int>().connect<&listener::incr<int>>(&listener);
-    registry.destruction<int>().connect<&listener::decr<int>>(&listener);
+    registry.on_construct<int>().connect<&listener::incr<int>>(&listener);
+    registry.on_destroy<int>().connect<&listener::decr<int>>(&listener);
 
     auto e0 = registry.create();
     auto e1 = registry.create();
@@ -871,20 +871,20 @@ TEST(Registry, Signals) {
     ASSERT_EQ(listener.counter, 1);
     ASSERT_EQ(listener.last, e0);
 
-    registry.destruction<int>().disconnect<&listener::decr<int>>(&listener);
+    registry.on_destroy<int>().disconnect<&listener::decr<int>>(&listener);
     registry.remove<int>(e1);
 
     ASSERT_EQ(listener.counter, 1);
     ASSERT_EQ(listener.last, e0);
 
-    registry.construction<int>().disconnect<&listener::incr<int>>(&listener);
+    registry.on_construct<int>().disconnect<&listener::incr<int>>(&listener);
     registry.assign<int>(e1);
 
     ASSERT_EQ(listener.counter, 1);
     ASSERT_EQ(listener.last, e0);
 
-    registry.construction<int>().connect<&listener::incr<int>>(&listener);
-    registry.destruction<int>().connect<&listener::decr<int>>(&listener);
+    registry.on_construct<int>().connect<&listener::incr<int>>(&listener);
+    registry.on_destroy<int>().connect<&listener::decr<int>>(&listener);
     registry.assign<int>(e0);
     registry.reset<int>(e1);
 
@@ -909,13 +909,13 @@ TEST(Registry, Signals) {
     ASSERT_EQ(listener.counter, 1);
     ASSERT_EQ(listener.last, e0);
 
-    registry.destruction<int>().disconnect<&listener::decr<int>>(&listener);
+    registry.on_destroy<int>().disconnect<&listener::decr<int>>(&listener);
     registry.assign_or_replace<int>(e0);
 
     ASSERT_EQ(listener.counter, 1);
     ASSERT_EQ(listener.last, e0);
 
-    registry.update<int>().connect<&listener::incr<int>>(&listener);
+    registry.on_replace<int>().connect<&listener::incr<int>>(&listener);
     registry.assign_or_replace<int>(e0);
 
     ASSERT_EQ(listener.counter, 2);
@@ -1069,7 +1069,7 @@ TEST(Registry, CreateManyEntitiesWithComponentsAtOnceWithListener) {
     entt::entity entities[3];
     listener listener;
 
-    registry.construction<int>().connect<&listener::incr<int>>(&listener);
+    registry.on_construct<int>().connect<&listener::incr<int>>(&listener);
     registry.create<int, char>(std::begin(entities), std::end(entities));
 
     ASSERT_EQ(listener.counter, 3);
@@ -1246,8 +1246,8 @@ TEST(Registry, Clone) {
     ASSERT_NE(e1, entity);
     ASSERT_EQ(registry.entity(e1), registry.entity(entity));
 
-    registry.construction<char>().connect<&listener::incr<char>>(&listener);
-    registry.destruction<char>().connect<&listener::decr<char>>(&listener);
+    registry.on_construct<char>().connect<&listener::incr<char>>(&listener);
+    registry.on_destroy<char>().connect<&listener::decr<char>>(&listener);
     registry.assign<char>(entity, 'e');
     registry.assign<char>(e0, '0');
     registry.remove<char>(e0);