diff --git a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/lang/CheckReturnValue.java b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/lang/CheckReturnValue.java
index 57a400c7f11..1d8ff9fcfbb 100644
--- a/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/lang/CheckReturnValue.java
+++ b/spring-core/src/main/java/org/springframework/lang/CheckReturnValue.java
@@ -33,10 +33,13 @@ import java.lang.annotation.Target;
  * and the return value is only interesting when adding an element to a set,
  * to see if the set already contained that element before.
  *
+ * <p>When used on a type, the annotation applies to all constructors and all
+ * methods that do not return {@code void}.
+ *
  * @author Sebastien Deleuze
  * @since 6.2
  */
 @Documented
-@Target(ElementType.METHOD)
+@Target({ElementType.TYPE, ElementType.METHOD, ElementType.CONSTRUCTOR})
 public @interface CheckReturnValue {
 }