Meaning & use
abstract
Existing as an idea or quality rather than as a physical, concrete object.
See it in a sentence
Justice is an abstract concept that philosophers have debated for centuries.
The lecture moved from concrete examples to more abstract economic theory.
A note on using this word
Abstract contrasts directly with concrete, so pairing the two words helps clarify meaning for learners.
Words with a similar meaning
Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. noun
A short summary of a longer academic paper or report.
Reviewers read the abstract before deciding whether to accept the full paper.
3. verb
To remove or extract something, or to summarize its main points.
The editor abstracted the key findings into a single paragraph.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “abstract”, then compare your use with the examples above.