abstract 1 of 3

Definition of abstractnext

abstract

2 of 3

noun

abstract

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to distract
to draw the attention or mind to something else personal problems abstracted him so persistently that he struggled to keep his mind on his work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of abstract
Adjective
Her eye is always on the lookout for interesting shapes, fun furniture, or abstract art. Heather Bien, Southern Living, 15 May 2026 What was missing were the people at the center of it, the ones for whom the outcome wasn't abstract at all. Jamie Stockwell, USA Today, 15 May 2026
Noun
Upstairs, the 49 rooms channel Arts and Crafts style with botanical fabrics, jade-green onyx bathrooms, and a strong showing of Texas artists, including Howard Sherman, whose large-scale abstracts anchor the walls. Carrie Honaker, Bon Appetit Magazine, 1 May 2026 Some are abstracts, simple and colorful design that stand out brightly from the more complex or realistic pieces. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026
Verb
Readers may resent being abstracted into algebra, but they are nonetheless invited to sort themselves into one of four categories on the basis of a short quiz. Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026 Williams abstracts those qualities. Justin Davidson, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for abstract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstract
Adjective
  • Early explorations of the theme included self-portraits EXPORT made in male drag, as well as forays in poetry and theoretical feminist texts.
    News Desk, Artforum, 15 May 2026
  • But the new one is no longer theoretical.
    Ingmar Rentzhog, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • Romvari’s film binds together impressionistic recollections from Jeremy’s 8-year-old sister Sasha (Eylul Guven).
    Randy Myers, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
  • With a blend of atmospheric beatmaking, gauzy harmonies, and impressionistic songwriting, Quiet Light’s music casts a distinct spell, like stumbling upon Imogen Heap in a forest clearing or imagining a Taylor Swift album produced by Harold Budd.
    Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 24 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • Word with Copilot drafts and summarizes documents; Teams with Copilot generates meeting summaries and captures action items; and Excel with Copilot handles data analysis useful for damages calculations and billing.
    AllBusiness, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026
  • While other operators submitted detailed incident summaries to the US regulator, Tesla blacked out every narrative entirely, labeling them as confidential business information.
    Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 16 May 2026
Noun
  • Trusty is a master of manifestation, and he is not done dreaming.
    Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 16 May 2026
  • Murphy won't say, for fear of sharing her manifestations.
    Rebecca Aizin, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • But during the aufguss ceremony at BASIN Glacial Waters, people smiled and laughed and swayed to the music, and Kyan’s dance-like towel moves distracted me from the discomfort of the heat.
    Jen Murphy, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 May 2026
  • Inside an intimate pub, however, filling out the scene with empty tables could distract from the hurried, nervous nature of the filmmaker’s original intent.
    Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • Notion reached $500 million in annual recurring revenue in 2025, and growth has accelerated every month since May when the company introduced AI agents to search through files or summarize meetings.
    Ellen Sheng, CNBC, 19 May 2026
  • Researchers used the Amazon reviews of a handful of electronic products, which were then summarized by several large language models (LLMs), including those based on Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT.
    Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 19 May 2026
Adjective
  • Mercifully, those connections are not forged across time and space; all three stories remain discrete, never approaching a moment of grandiose metaphysical convergence.
    Justin Chang, New Yorker, 8 May 2026
  • Conversations might turn to metaphysical issues or charitable activities.
    Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 2 May 2026
Adjective
  • Don't miss the renowned impressionist collection with paintings by Monet and van Gogh.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The Oberoi Rajgarh Palace appears like a post-impressionist vision, its beige crown backdropped by the freckled green of the Maniyagarh hills.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Abstract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstract. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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