Need another word that means the same as “abstract”? Find 94 synonyms and 30 related words for “abstract” in this overview.
- Abstract as a Noun
- Definitions of "Abstract" as a noun
- Synonyms of "Abstract" as a noun (11 Words)
- Usage Examples of "Abstract" as a noun
- Abstract as a Verb
- Definitions of "Abstract" as a verb
- Synonyms of "Abstract" as a verb (57 Words)
- Usage Examples of "Abstract" as a verb
- Abstract as an Adjective
- Definitions of "Abstract" as an adjective
- Synonyms of "Abstract" as an adjective (26 Words)
- Usage Examples of "Abstract" as an adjective
- Associations of "Abstract" (30 Words)
The synonyms of “Abstract” are: abstractionist, nonfigurative, nonobjective, theoretical, conceptual, notional, intellectual, metaphysical, philosophical, academic, abstruse, obscure, arcane, recherché, rarefied, recondite, difficult, hard, puzzling, perplexing, enigmatic, inscrutable, cryptic, delphic, symbolic, impressionistic, cabbage, filch, hook, lift, nobble, pilfer, pinch, purloin, snarf, sneak, swipe, extract, pump, draw, draw off, tap, suck, withdraw, remove, take away, take out, thieve, take, take for oneself, help oneself to, loot, abscond with, run off with, appropriate, carry off, shoplift, leave, go, go away, go off, take one's leave, take oneself off, absent oneself, say one's goodbyes, quit, make an exit, exit, break camp, decamp, retreat, beat a retreat, retire, summarize, write a summary of, precis, abridge, condense, compress, shorten, cut down, abbreviate, synopsize, outline, synopsis, abstraction, summary, résumé, recapitulation, abridgement, condensation, digest, summation
Abstract as a Noun
Definitions of "Abstract" as a noun
According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “abstract” as a noun can have the following definitions:
- A summary of the contents of a book, article, or speech.
- A sketchy summary of the main points of an argument or theory.
- A concept or idea not associated with any specific instance.
- An abstract work of art.
Synonyms of "Abstract" as a noun (11 Words)
abridgement | Curtailment of rights. An abridgement of Shakespeare s Henry VI. |
abstraction | The act of withdrawing or removing something. The abstraction of water from springs and wells. |
condensation | A reaction in which two molecules combine to form a larger molecule, producing a small molecule such as H₂O as a by-product. The inside of the cab steamed up with condensation. |
digest | A substance or mixture obtained by digestion. A digest of their findings. |
outline | A line or set of lines enclosing or indicating the shape of an object in a sketch or diagram. The chalked outline of a human body. |
precis | A sketchy summary of the main points of an argument or theory. |
recapitulation | A part of a movement (especially one in sonata form) in which themes from the exposition are restated. His recapitulation of the argument. |
résumé | Short descriptive summary (of events. |
summary | A brief statement that presents the main points in a concise form. He gave a summary of the conclusions. |
summation | A summary. These will need summation in a single document. |
synopsis | A brief summary or general survey of something. A synopsis of the insurance cover provided is set out below. |
Usage Examples of "Abstract" as a noun
- A big unframed abstract.
- An abstract of her speech.
- He loved her only in the abstract–not in person.
Abstract as a Verb
Definitions of "Abstract" as a verb
According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “abstract” as a verb can have the following definitions:
- Extract or remove (something.
- Make off with belongings of others.
- Withdraw.
- Give an abstract (of.
- Consider apart from a particular case or instance.
- Make a written summary of (an article or book.
- Used euphemistically to indicate that someone has stolen something.
- Consider something theoretically or separately from (something else.
- Consider a concept without thinking of a specific example; consider abstractly or theoretically.
Synonyms of "Abstract" as a verb (57 Words)
abbreviate | Shorten (a word, phrase, or text. I decided to abbreviate my stay in Cambridge. |
abridge | Curtail (a right or privilege. The introduction is abridged from the author s afterword to the novel. |
abscond with | Run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along. |
absent oneself | Go away or leave. |
appropriate | Devote (money or assets) to a special purpose. The accused had appropriated the property. |
beat a retreat | Beat through cleverness and wit. |
break camp | Force out or release suddenly and often violently something pent up. |
cabbage | Make off with belongings of others. |
carry off | Continue or extend. |
compress | Reduce the dynamic range of (a sound signal). The skirt can be folded and compressed into a relatively small bag. |
condense | Remove water from. Condense the contents of a book into a summary. |
cut down | Cut down on make a reduction in. |
decamp | Leave a camp. The armies of both chiefs had decamped. |
draw | Obtain or withdraw money from a bank or other source. A pot of tea is allowed to draw. |
draw off | Give a description of. |
exit | Used as a stage direction in a play to indicate that an actor leaves the stage. He exited from the changing rooms. |
extract | Extract by the process of distillation. Early computers had an instruction to extract a square root. |
filch | Pilfer or steal (something, especially an item of small value) in a casual way. They filched milk off morning doorsteps. |
go | Go through in search of something search through someone s belongings in an unauthorized way. The speech has to go through several more drafts. |
go away | Change location; move, travel, or proceed, also metaphorically. |
go off | Blend or harmonize. |
help oneself to | Take or use. |
hook | Catch with a hook. McKenzie switched his attack downstairs hooking to the ribs. |
leave | Leave or give by will after one s death. Leave your child in the nurse s care. |
lift | Perform cosmetic surgery on someone’s face. Lift his ego. |
loot | Steal goods from (a place), typically during a war or riot. A gang looted Rs 1 5 lakh from a passenger. |
make an exit | Develop into. |
nobble | Take away to an undisclosed location against their will and usually in order to extract a ransom. A doping ring nobbled three of the trainer s horses in 1990. |
pilfer | Make off with belongings of others. She produced the handful of coins she had managed to pilfer. |
pinch | Make ridges into by pinching together. She pinched his cheek. |
precis | Make a precis of a text or speech. |
pump | Move in spurts as though driven by a pump. My veins had been pumped full of glucose. |
purloin | Steal (something. He must have managed to purloin a copy of the key. |
quit | Resign from (a job. Quit yourselves like men and fight. |
remove | Remove from a position or an office. Remove a threat. |
retire | Go into retirement stop performing one s work or withdraw from one s position. The director was retired after the scandal. |
retreat | Make a retreat from an earlier commitment or activity. The ice retreated during warmer periods called interglacials. |
run off with | Set animals loose to graze. |
say one's goodbyes | Recite or repeat a fixed text. |
shoplift | Steal goods from a shop while pretending to be a customer. She was caught shoplifting a pair of shoes. |
shorten | (with reference to gambling odds) make or become shorter; decrease. The odds had shortened to 14 1. |
snarf | Eat or drink quickly or greedily. They snarfed up frozen yogurt. |
sneak | (especially in children’s use) inform an adult or person in authority of a companion’s misdeeds; tell tales. Sneak a cigarette. |
summarize | Be a summary of. These results can be summarized in the following table. |
swipe | Pass a swipe card through an electronic device designed to read and process the information encoded on it. Swipe to the left on the main navigation page and you ll see a user login menu. |
synopsize | Give a brief summary or general survey of (something. Your r sum should synopsize your experience. |
take | Take something or somebody with oneself somewhere. Billie was very taken with him. |
take away | Be seized or affected in a specified way. |
take for oneself | Experience or feel or submit to. |
take one's leave | Require as useful, just, or proper. |
take oneself off | Receive willingly something given or offered. |
take out | Point or cause to go (blows, weapons, or objects such as photographic equipment) towards. |
tap | Make light repeated taps on a surface. These magazines have tapped into a target market of consumers. |
thieve | Take by theft. The students have been thieving my favourite art books. |
withdraw | Withdraw from active participation. Normally you can withdraw up to 50 in cash. |
write a summary of | Communicate or express by writing. |
Usage Examples of "Abstract" as a verb
- Let's abstract away from this particular example.
- His pockets contained all he had been able to abstract from the flat.
- Staff who abstract material for an online database.
- Applications to abstract more water from streams.
- As our relationship deepened you seemed to abstract yourself.
- To abstract science and religion from their historical context can lead to anachronism.
Abstract as an Adjective
Definitions of "Abstract" as an adjective
According to the Oxford Dictionary of English, “abstract” as an adjective can have the following definitions:
- Existing only in the mind; separated from embodiment.
- Existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence.
- Not representing or imitating external reality or the objects of nature.
- Dealing with a subject in the abstract without practical purpose or intention.
- Relating to or denoting art that does not attempt to represent external reality, but rather seeks to achieve its effect using shapes, colours, and textures.
- (of a noun) denoting an idea, quality, or state rather than a concrete object.
- Dealing with ideas rather than events.
- Not based on a particular instance; theoretical.
Synonyms of "Abstract" as an adjective (26 Words)
abstractionist | Not representing or imitating external reality or the objects of nature. |
abstruse | Difficult to penetrate; incomprehensible to one of ordinary understanding or knowledge. An abstruse philosophical inquiry. |
academic | Hypothetical or theoretical and not expected to produce an immediate or practical result. The debate has been largely academic. |
arcane | Requiring secret or mysterious knowledge. The arcane science of dowsing. |
conceptual | Relating to or based on mental concepts. Philosophy deals with conceptual difficulties. |
cryptic | Of an obscure nature- Rachel. The new insurance policy is written without cryptic or mysterious terms. |
delphic | Obscurely prophetic. |
difficult | Hard to control. The questions are too difficult for the children. |
enigmatic | Not clear to the understanding. Prophetic texts so enigmatic that their meaning has been disputed for centuries. |
hard | Unfortunate or hard to bear. A hard whack. |
impressionistic | Of or relating to or based on an impression rather than on facts or reasoning. A personal and impressionistic view of the war. |
inscrutable | Of an obscure nature. Guy looked blankly inscrutable. |
intellectual | Of or associated with or requiring the use of the mind. Coldly intellectual. |
metaphysical | Of or characteristic of the metaphysical poets. Metaphysical forces. |
nonfigurative | Not representing or imitating external reality or the objects of nature. |
nonobjective | Not representing or imitating external reality or the objects of nature. |
notional | Not based on fact or investigation. To improve notional comprehension. |
obscure | Remote and separate physically or socially- W.H.Hudson. An obscure village. |
perplexing | Completely baffling; very puzzling. Perplexing to someone who knew nothing about it. |
philosophical | Of or relating to philosophy or philosophers. He was philosophical about losing the contract. |
puzzling | Lacking clarity of meaning; causing confusion or perplexity. A puzzling statement. |
rarefied | (of air, especially that at high altitudes) of lower pressure than usual; thin. Rarefied scholarly pursuits. |
recherché | Lavishly elegant and refined. |
recondite | (of a subject or knowledge) little known; abstruse. Some recondite problem in historiography. |
symbolic | Involving the use of symbols or symbolism. Symbolic thinking. |
theoretical | Concerned primarily with theories or hypotheses rather than practical considerations. The training is practical rather than theoretical. |
Usage Examples of "Abstract" as an adjective
- Abstract pictures.
- Abstract science.
- We have been discussing the problem in a very abstract manner.
- Abstract concepts such as love or beauty.
- Abstract words like `truth' and `justice.
- Abstract reasoning.
- A large abstract painting.
- The novel was too abstract and esoteric to sustain much attention.
Associations of "Abstract" (30 Words)
abridgment | A shortened version of a written work. |
applied | Concerned with concrete problems or data rather than with fundamental principles. Applied physics. |
compendious | Containing or presenting the essential facts of something in a comprehensive but concise way. A compendious study. |
compendium | A collection of concise but detailed information about a particular subject, especially in a book or other publication. An invaluable compendium of useful information about language. |
concept | An abstract idea. A concept car for next month s Geneva motor show. |
concordance | Make a concordance of a text. A concordance to the Bible. |
condensation | The conversion of a vapour or gas to a liquid. The cloud is caused by condensation in the air. |
eclecticism | The practice of deriving ideas, style, or taste from a broad and diverse range of sources. We ve demonstrated an appetite for musical eclecticism. |
hypothesis | A proposal intended to explain certain facts or observations. His steady state hypothesis of the origin of the universe. |
hypothetical | A hypothetical possibility circumstance statement proposal situation etc. The hypothetical tenth planet. |
idea | A mental impression. A rough idea how long it would take. |
ideational | Relating to the formation of ideas or concepts. Policy has been shaped by both material and ideational factors. |
immaterial | Lacking importance; not mattering one way or the other. The difference in our ages is immaterial. |
impalpable | Not perceptible to the touch. An impalpable pulse. |
innuendo | An indirect (and usually malicious) implication. A constant torrent of innuendo gossip lies and half truths. |
intangibility | The quality of being intangible and not perceptible by touch. |
intangible | An intangible thing. That intangible thing the soul. |
metaphysical | Of or characteristic of the metaphysical poets. The essentially metaphysical question of the nature of mind. |
minutes | A written account of what transpired at a meeting. |
outline | Draw up an outline or sketch for something. She outlined the case briefly. |
parse | Resolve (a sentence) into its component parts and describe their syntactic roles. I asked a couple of students to parse these sentences for me. |
plot | A small area of ground covered by specific vegetation. A cooling curve is plotted and the freezing point determined. |
precis | Make a precis of a text or speech. |
speculative | Not financially safe or secure. Speculative business enterprises. |
subtle | Difficult to detect or grasp by the mind or analyze. Subtle lighting. |
succinct | (especially of something written or spoken) briefly and clearly expressed. Succinct comparisons. |
summary | Briefly giving the gist of something. Summary financial statements. |
synopsis | A sketchy summary of the main points of an argument or theory. A synopsis of the insurance cover provided is set out below. |
syntax | A set of rules for or an analysis of the syntax of a language. The syntax of English. |
theoretical | Concerned primarily with theories or hypotheses rather than practical considerations. Theoretical science. |