abstract
gb/ˈæbstɹækt/ us/ˈæbstɹækt/
B1
English
~ 1500
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B2
property
1
Existing as an idea only
About something you can think about but cannot touch or see.
Usage pattern:
[something] is abstract
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'abstract' with 'summary', which is another meaning of the word.
Synonyms
theoretical (Stresses being based on theory rather than practical application.)
|
conceptual (Focuses on being related to mental concepts or ideas.)
Antonyms
concrete (Refers to something real and tangible, the opposite of abstract.)
Collocations
abstract concept
|abstract idea
|abstract thinking
|abstract art
Themes
art
|philosophy
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Justice is an abstract concept that can be difficult to define.
- Her paintings are highly abstract, with no clear subject.
- Time is an abstract notion, but it affects everything we do.
- The course covers both abstract theory and practical skills.
Learner examples
- Love is an abstract idea.
- Numbers are abstract.
- Happiness is an abstract feeling.
- The word 'freedom' is abstract.
Noun
B2
entity
2
Brief summary of a text
A short piece of writing that says the main ideas of a longer text.
Usage pattern:
an abstract of [something]
Common mistake:
Some learners think 'abstract' here means 'difficult to understand'; in this context it means a short summary.
Synonyms
summary (A general term for a shortened version of something.)
|
synopsis (Often used for summaries of literary or dramatic works.)
Antonyms
full text (Refers to the complete document rather than a condensed version.)
Collocations
write an abstract
|submit an abstract
|conference abstract
Themes
academia
|writing
|research
|education
|communication
Examples
- The researcher submitted an abstract for the conference proceedings.
- Please include an abstract at the beginning of your paper.
- The journal requires abstracts to be under 250 words.
Learner examples
- I read the abstract before the full paper.
- She wrote an abstract for her report.
- The teacher asked for an abstract of the article.
Verb
C1
action
3
Remove or take away something
To take something away from where it belongs.
Usage pattern:
to abstract [something] from [somewhere]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this with the adjective meaning 'not concrete'. As a verb, it refers to removing or taking out.
Synonyms
extract (More common in everyday contexts; 'abstract' is often more formal.)
|
remove (General term for taking something away.)
Antonyms
insert (To put something into something else, opposite of removing.)
Collocations
abstract data
|abstract information from
|abstract resources
Themes
science
|general
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The report abstracts key points from the data.
- Oil was abstracted from deep underground reservoirs.
- The program can abstract relevant information from large datasets.
Learner examples
- The machine abstracts water from the air.
- He abstracted numbers from the table.
- They abstract gold from the rock.
adjective
B1
property
4
Non-representational in art
Describes art made with shapes and colors instead of pictures of real things.
Synonyms
nonrepresentational (Technical art term meaning not depicting recognizable subjects.)
Antonyms
representational (Depicts recognizable subjects or objects.)
Collocations
abstract painting
|abstract sculpture
|abstract style
Themes
art
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- She specializes in large abstract paintings.
- The gallery features several abstract sculptures.
- His work moved from realistic landscapes to abstract forms.
Learner examples
- I like abstract art.
- This is an abstract painting.
- He makes abstract pictures.
Grammar
Dictionary form
abstract
IPA
GB/ˈæbstɹækt/
US/ˈæbstɹækt/
Syllables & stress
ab - stract (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (ab)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: abstract
Noun
- Base: abstract
- Plural: abstracts
Verb
- Base: abstract
- 3rd Person Singular: abstracts
- Present Participle: abstracting
- Past: abstracted
Word family
Forms
abstracts
noun
abstracting
verb
abstracted
verb
Core family
abstraction
noun C1
abstractly
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
concrete
adjective A2
Advanced or less common
abstractness
noun
Expressions
abstract away
1/æbstɹˈækt əwˈeɪ/
phrasal verb
technical
Hide details to focus on main idea
To remove or ignore details so you can focus on the main idea or structure.
Examples
- The software abstracts away the complexity of the hardware.
- Teachers often abstract away difficult details when first introducing a topic.
in the abstract
1/ˈɪn ðə ˈæbstɹækt/
fixed phrase
formal
Considered generally, not specifically
Thinking about something as a general idea, not in a real situation.
Examples
- In the abstract, his plan sounds reasonable, but it may not work in practice.
- She prefers to discuss problems in the abstract rather than deal with details.