abstract

USab-STRAKT/ˌæbˈstɹækt/UKAB-strakt/ˈæbˌstɹækt/

As a nounAB-strakt

As a verbab-STRAKT

Noun pluralabstracts

Verbabstracts, abstracting, abstracted

26 meanings of abstract

Practice

1
modern style (art)adjective
Art, music, or dance that does not show real things or tell a story, using only shapes, colors, sounds, or movement.
Like music: it can be beautiful without being a picture of anything.
The museum has a room full of abstract paintings.
She prefers abstract art with bold colors and no clear shapes.
UsageCommon in abstract art. You can say very abstract or more abstract.
Similarnonrepresentational, nonfigurative
Oppositerepresentational, figurative, realistic
Note
2
intangibleadjective
Existing only as an idea, not as a real thing you can touch.
Like the idea of 'happiness': you can feel it but you cannot pick it up.
Love is an abstract idea, not something you can hold.
Numbers can feel abstract until you count real objects.
UsageThe opposite is concrete. Say more abstract to compare.
Similarconceptual, theoretical, intangible, incorporeal
Oppositeconcrete, actual, empirical, corporeal
3
a summarynouncountable
A short summary of a longer report, paper, or book.
Like the back cover of a book that tells you what is inside.
I read the abstract before deciding to read the whole article.
Each report begins with a short abstract on the first page.
Similarsummary, synopsis, digest, outline
Note
4
pure theoryadjective
Talking about ideas in general, not real examples or facts.
Like talking about how to swim without ever getting in the water.
His plan stayed abstract and never told us what to actually do.
The lesson felt too abstract for the kids to use in real life.
UsageThe opposite is practical or applied.
Oppositeconcrete, practical, applied, specific
Note
5
hard to understandadjective
Hard to understand because it deals with deep or unclear ideas.
Like trying to follow directions that are hard to picture in your head.
The professor's explanation was too abstract for me to follow.
Some parts of the book are very abstract and slow to read.
UsageOften a complaint: the talk was too abstract.
Similarabstruse
Oppositeclear, accessible, concrete
Note
6
not specificadjective
Talking about a whole group of things, not one special thing.
Like the word 'fruit,' which means all fruits, not just one apple.
The law talks about the abstract driver, not any real person.
In math we use abstract symbols that stand for any number.
Similargeneral, generic, nonspecific, generalized
Oppositespecific, particular, precise, discrete
Note
7
in theorynoununcountable
An idea thought about in general, not as a real thing. Usually in 'in the abstract'.
Like planning a perfect trip on paper before facing real weather and traffic.
It is easy to plan in the abstract, but harder in real life.
He likes to argue in the abstract instead of about real people.
UsageOften contrasted with in practice: good in the abstract, hard in practice.
Similartheory
Oppositeconcrete
8
summarizeverbtransitive
To make a short summary of a longer piece of writing.
Like shrinking a big story down to just the important parts.
She had to abstract the long report into a single page.
Please abstract this chapter for the newsletter.
Similarsummarize, condense, abridge, digest
Oppositeexpand, elaborate
9
factor outverbtransitive or intransitive
To pull a repeated piece of code into a separate part that can be reused.
Like putting one set of instructions in a box so you can use it again and again.
We can abstract the shared logic out into its own module.
She abstracted the login code into its own function.
UsageProgrammers often say abstract something out.
Similarrefactor, extract, factor, generalize, encapsulate
Note
10
simplify (art)verbtransitive or intransitive
To make art that uses shapes and colors instead of showing real things.
Like drawing a tree as just a green circle on a brown line.
The painter began to abstract the landscape into bold blocks of color.
She prefers to abstract rather than paint exactly what she sees.
Similarstylize, simplify, reduce, distill
Oppositerepresent, depict
11
extractverbtransitive
To take something out of or away from something else.
Like pulling one strand of spaghetti out of the whole plate.
This pump abstracts water from the river for the farms.
Farmers may abstract water from the river only in winter.
UsageSay abstract something from a place.
Similarextract, remove, withdraw, separate
Note

Less common meanings

12
idea wordadjective
In grammar, an abstract noun names an idea or quality, like 'courage' or 'whiteness', not a thing you can touch.
Like the word 'love': you can name it but never put it in a box.
'Happiness' is an abstract noun because you cannot see or touch it.
Teachers explain that abstract words name ideas, not objects.
Oppositeconcrete
Note
13
an artworknouncountable
A piece of art that shows shapes and colors instead of real things.
Like a song with no words that still feels like something.
She painted a bright abstract for the hallway.
The wall held a large abstract in red and blue.
14
programmingadjective
Used as a base for other classes, but not able to make objects on its own.
Like a recipe outline that needs more details added before you can cook from it.
In our code, the shape class is abstract, so we can't create it directly.
An abstract class only gives a starting point for other classes to build on.
Oppositeconcrete
Note
15
land recordsnouncountable
A short legal summary of who has owned a piece of land over time.
Like a list that tracks every owner of a house, one after another.
The buyer asked to see the abstract before signing for the property.
Her lawyer checked the abstract to make sure no one else owned the land.
Note
16
draw out ideasverbtransitive
To pull a general idea out of particular examples and think about it on its own.
Like taking one color out of a painting to look at just that color.
We can abstract the color of an object and study it by itself.
Try to abstract the main idea from the story and think about it alone.
Similarisolate, extract, separate, distill
17
retreatverbreflexivetransitive or intransitive
To pull yourself away from other people or from what is around you.
Like stepping into another room to be alone with your thoughts.
Lost in thought, he abstracted himself from the talk around him.
Some monks abstract themselves from the world to live in prayer.
UsageSay abstract yourself from the people around you.
Similarwithdraw, retreat, retire, remove, detach
Oppositemingle, engage
18
stealverbeuphemistictransitive
To take something without permission, or to steal it.
Like quietly taking coins from a jar that isn't yours.
A clerk tried to abstract money from the company accounts.
Someone managed to abstract several files from the locked office.
UsageSay abstract something from somewhere.
Similarsteal, pilfer, purloin, filch, remove
Note
19
verbdated
To pull someone's interest or attention away from something.
The young stranger had been abstracted and silent.
June 1869, William Blackwood, Late for the Train (published in Blackwood's Magazine)
20
nounarchaic
A thing that holds the main qualities of something bigger, or of several things together.
Man, the abstract Of all perfection, which the workmanship Of Heaven hath modeled.
1628, John Ford, The Lover's Melancholy
21
nounrare
A strong, concentrated form of a product that holds its main essence.
22
noun
A dry powder made from a medicine's extract mixed with milk sugar.
23
adjectiveobsolete
Taken out of something else.
24
adjectivearchaic
Taken away and kept separate from something.
The more abstract we are from the body ... the more fit we shall be to behold divine light.
17th century, John Norris (philosopher), The Oxford Dictionary
25
adjectivearchaic
Thinking of other things and not noticing what is around you.
White and abstract-looking, he sat and ate his dinner.
1922, D. H. Lawrence, Aaron's Rod
26
verbobsolete
To separate out part of something by boiling it and cooling what rises.
Poison from roses who could e'er abstract?
1601, John Marston, Antonio's Revenge

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of abstract apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Latin abstractus, meaning "drawn away." It comes from words meaning "away" and "to pull or draw."

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts

Abstract derives from Latin abstractus. en.wiktionary.org
Abstractus means drawn away. en.wiktionary.org
Its components mean away and to pull or draw. en.wiktionary.org