OpenSynonym

abstract

/ˈæbstrækt/

NOUN

1. A summary of a longer work

A shortened account that presents the essential points of a longer publication, document, or body of information.

1.1. Summary of a publication or document

A concise statement of the main ideas, findings, or contents of a research paper, article, book, or other extended work.

Synonyms

Examples

  • The scientist presented her findings in an abstract that succinctly summarized the key points of her research.

Related Words

NOUN

2. An embodiment of essential qualities

Something that concentrates or represents the essential qualities or characteristics of a larger whole or several things.

2.1. Representative embodiment

A person, object, or example that embodies the essential characteristics of a broader category or concept.

Synonyms

Examples

  • The painting became an abstract of the artist's vision and creative philosophy.

Related Words

NOUN

3. An abstract concept or theoretical idea

Something that exists as an idea, quality, or concept rather than as a concrete physical object.

3.1. Intangible concept

An idea, quality, or notion considered independently of any particular physical object or individual example.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The abstract of justice can be difficult to define without considering specific examples.

Related Words

3.2. Theoretical consideration

A way of considering something in its general or ideal form, apart from its practical application or specific circumstances.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The discussion moved from practical problems to the abstract of the underlying principle.

Related Words

NOUN

4. A work of abstract art

A work of art that emphasizes forms, colors, lines, and patterns rather than depicting recognizable objects or scenes.

4.1. Nonrepresentational artwork

An artistic composition that uses shapes, colors, and forms without attempting to represent recognizable people, objects, or scenes.

Synonyms

  • abstract artwork
  • nonfigurative art
  • nonrepresentational art
  • nonobjective art

Antonyms

  • representational art
  • figurative art
  • realistic art
  • naturalistic art

Examples

  • Her abstract painting evoked a sense of mystery and wonder, inviting viewers to interpret its meaning.

Related Words

NOUN

5. A summary of land ownership records

A document summarizing the essential details of the legal ownership and history of a particular tract of land or property.

5.1. Property title record

A legal summary of the ownership history, title documents, and relevant interests or claims associated with a parcel of land.

Synonyms

  • abstract of title
  • title summary
  • title report

Examples

  • The lawyer examined the abstract before completing the property transaction.

Related Words

  • property deed
  • land registry
  • title search
  • conveyance
  • ownership record

VERB

6. The act of separating or removing

The act of taking something away from its original context or separating an element from a larger whole.

6.1. Separating or disengaging

To separate something from another thing or detach it from its original connection or context.

Synonyms

  • separate
  • detach
  • disengage
  • disconnect
  • dissociate
  • isolate
  • withdraw

Antonyms

  • attach
  • connect
  • combine
  • join
  • unite

Examples

  • The researcher tried to abstract the central principle from the surrounding details.

Related Words

  • detachment
  • disconnection
  • separation
  • removal
  • isolation

6.2. Removing or taking away

To remove something from a place, source, or larger collection, leaving it separate from its original setting.

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • add
  • insert
  • introduce
  • attach

Examples

  • The editor abstracted several passages from the original document for separate analysis.

Related Words

6.3. Stealing or taking without permission

To take or remove something without the owner's permission, especially in formal or literary usage.

Synonyms

  • steal
  • purloin
  • appropriate
  • misappropriate
  • pilfer

Antonyms

Examples

  • The employee was accused of abstracting confidential documents from the office.

Related Words

VERB

7. Summarizing or condensing information

To produce a concise account of something by selecting and presenting its essential points.

7.1. Reducing a text to its main points

To shorten a longer document, discussion, or account by retaining its central ideas and removing less important details.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The editor was asked to abstract the report into a concise overview.

Related Words

VERB

8. Forming a general concept from specific instances

To develop an abstract idea by identifying a shared attribute among individual things and considering that attribute independently.

8.1. Generalizing from particular examples

To identify a common quality among individual objects or cases and treat that quality as a general concept.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • Philosophers abstract universal principles from particular human experiences.

Related Words

VERB

9. Extracting a substance by distillation

To obtain a substance or essential component from a mixture through a process such as distillation.

9.1. Obtaining an extract through distillation

To draw out or obtain a particular substance from a mixture by using distillation or a similar extraction process.

Synonyms

  • extract
  • distill
  • derive
  • isolate

Antonyms

  • combine
  • mix
  • dilute

Examples

  • The chemist used a careful process to abstract the aromatic compounds from the mixture.

Related Words

  • distillation
  • extraction
  • essence
  • concentrate
  • separation

VERB

10. Considering something theoretically or separately

To consider an idea, quality, or subject independently of its practical context or particular instances.

10.1. Theoretical consideration

To examine something as a general idea or principle rather than in relation to a specific practical situation.

Synonyms

  • contemplate
  • consider
  • theorize
  • conceptualize
  • speculate

Antonyms

Examples

  • The philosopher chose to abstract the concept from its everyday applications.

Related Words

VERB

11. Withdrawing or retiring

To withdraw oneself from a place, situation, or activity, or to draw something away from another thing.

11.1. Withdrawing oneself

To remove oneself from a situation or place, often by retiring or becoming separate from others.

Synonyms

  • withdraw
  • retire
  • remove oneself
  • recede
  • disengage

Antonyms

Examples

  • After the disagreement, he chose to abstract himself from the discussion.

Related Words

  • withdrawal
  • retreat
  • seclusion
  • detachment
  • retirement

11.2. Drawing away attention or interest

To draw or divert someone's attention or interest away from its original object or focus.

Synonyms

  • divert
  • distract
  • draw away
  • deflect
  • redirect

Antonyms

Examples

  • The unexpected noise abstracted the audience's attention from the speaker.

Related Words

VERB

12. Creating or producing abstractions

To create an abstract representation or simplify an existing structure by separating essential features from specific details.

12.1. Creating abstract representations

To produce an abstraction by representing essential qualities or ideas independently of particular objects or examples.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The artist abstracted the landscape into simplified shapes and colors.

Related Words

12.2. Refactoring software into reusable structures

In software development, to create an abstraction by extracting common functionality or structure from existing code, often to make it reusable.

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • inline
  • duplicate
  • hardcode

Examples

  • The developer abstracted the repeated logic into a reusable function.

Related Words

  • abstraction
  • refactoring
  • code reuse
  • modularity
  • software design

ADJECTIVE

13. Derived or extracted from something

Obtained or derived from another source rather than existing independently or originally.

13.1. Derived or extracted

Describes something obtained, drawn, or derived from a larger source or original material.

Synonyms

  • derived
  • extracted
  • obtained
  • selected
  • distilled

Antonyms

Examples

  • The abstract substance was derived from a more complex mixture.

Related Words

  • extraction
  • derivation
  • source
  • essence
  • selection

ADJECTIVE

14. Separate or detached from something

Removed from, separated from, or considered apart from its original context or connection.

14.1. Detached from its original context

Describes something considered or presented independently of the circumstances, relationships, or details with which it is normally associated.

Synonyms

  • separate
  • detached
  • disconnected
  • isolated
  • disassociated

Antonyms

  • connected
  • attached
  • integrated
  • combined

Examples

  • The issue cannot be understood as an abstract matter separate from its social context.

Related Words

  • detachment
  • separation
  • isolation
  • independence
  • disconnection

ADJECTIVE

15. Conceptual or nonconcrete

Existing as an idea, quality, or concept rather than as a physical object that can be directly experienced through the senses.

15.1. Intangible or conceptual

Describes an idea, quality, or principle that is not physical or directly perceptible through the senses.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The abstract concept of time travel has captivated imaginations for centuries, inspiring countless works of fiction.

Related Words

15.2. Ideal or hypothetical

Describes something existing as an idealized possibility or theoretical construct rather than as an actual physical reality.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The proposal remained an abstract possibility until the team developed a practical plan.

Related Words

ADJECTIVE

16. Difficult to understand

Hard to understand or conceptualize because it deals with complex, subtle, or highly theoretical ideas.

16.1. Complex or obscure ideas

Describes an idea, explanation, or subject that is difficult to grasp because it is highly theoretical, intricate, or unfamiliar.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The philosopher delved into the abstract realms of metaphysics, pondering questions about the nature of reality.

Related Words

ADJECTIVE

17. Expressing a property independently

Expressing a property or attribute as a quality inherent in an object, rather than as a separate physical thing.

17.1. Attributive or ascriptive quality

Describes a term or expression that identifies a property or attribute belonging to an object or subject.

Synonyms

  • attributive
  • ascriptive
  • descriptive

Examples

  • The abstract description focused on the qualities associated with the object.

Related Words

  • attribute
  • property
  • characteristic
  • quality
  • predication

ADJECTIVE

18. General rather than specific

Pertaining to an entire class or group of things rather than to a particular individual object or instance.

18.1. General or generic classification

Describes an idea, statement, or representation that applies broadly to a class or group without referring to one specific example.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The abstract principle applies to the entire class of problems rather than to one particular case.

Related Words

ADJECTIVE

19. Absent-minded or inattentive

Not fully attentive to one's immediate surroundings or activities because one's thoughts are occupied elsewhere.

19.1. Distracted or preoccupied

Describes someone who appears mentally absent, distracted, or absorbed in thought rather than attentive to immediate surroundings.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • He seemed abstract during the meeting, barely noticing when his colleagues addressed him.

Related Words

ADJECTIVE

20. Pertaining to nonrepresentational art

Relating to art that emphasizes formal elements such as lines, colors, shapes, and their relationships rather than depicting recognizable subjects.

20.1. Nonfigurative artistic style

Describes an artistic style or work that uses shapes, colors, lines, and patterns without directly representing recognizable objects or scenes.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • In art class, they explored the concept of abstract expressionism through bold strokes and vibrant colors.

Related Words

  • abstract art
  • modernism
  • expressionism
  • composition
  • visual language

ADJECTIVE

21. Insufficiently factual or concrete

Not sufficiently grounded in facts, observable details, or specific evidence.

21.1. Vague or lacking factual support

Describes a statement, explanation, or account that lacks specific facts, concrete details, or adequate evidence.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The report was criticized for being abstract and insufficiently supported by factual evidence.

Related Words

ADJECTIVE

22. Theoretical and removed from practical reality

Concerned with ideas or principles in theory rather than with practical experience, real-world application, or specific circumstances.

22.1. Theoretical rather than practical

Describes an approach or discussion that deals with general principles or theories without directly addressing practical implementation.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The proposal sounded abstract because it offered no practical steps for implementation.

Related Words

22.2. Vague or impersonal

Describes an explanation or treatment that remains general, detached, or insufficiently specific to real people and situations.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • The discussion remained abstract and did not address the personal experiences of those affected.

Related Words

ADJECTIVE

23. A grammatical term denoting an intangible concept

In grammar, describing a noun or expression that denotes an intangible idea, quality, or condition rather than a physical object, place, or person.

23.1. Abstract grammatical noun

Describes a noun that names an idea, quality, state, or condition that cannot be directly perceived through the senses.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Examples

  • In the sentence, 'Honesty matters,' the word 'honesty' is an abstract noun.

Related Words

  • abstract noun
  • concrete noun
  • grammar
  • noun
  • intangible quality

ADJECTIVE

24. A class in object-oriented programming

In object-oriented programming, describing a class that provides a partial basis for subclasses but is not intended to serve as a complete, directly instantiated object template.

24.1. Abstract programming class

Describes a class that defines shared structure or behavior for subclasses but cannot ordinarily be instantiated directly as a complete object.

Synonyms

Antonyms

  • concrete
  • instantiable
  • fully implemented

Examples

  • The developer created an abstract class to define common methods for several related objects.

Related Words

  • abstract class
  • inheritance
  • subclass
  • object-oriented programming
  • polymorphism
  • interface