To him, hunger was an abstract concept; he always had enough to eat.
Source: tatoeba (1933)
Abstract
/ˈæbˌstɹækt/
Synonyms for "abstract" (648 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (130)
Noun(29 words)
outlineprecissynopsisabstract artabstract focusabstractingabstractionabstractsacademic activityacademic adviceacademic analysisacademic guidelineacademic honors ceremonyacademic importanceacademic programacademic theoretical descriptoralgebraic structureariommabook synopsisbriefs
Show 9 more words
broad analysiscapsulescapsulingchapter summariesclass constructconceptualconceptual analysisconceptual artconceptual driven
Adjective(47 words)
abstract relationabstractionistacademic abilityacademic achievementsacademic adjectiveacademic assignmentacademic associatesacademic attributeacademic categoryacademic cohortsacademic communitiesacademic community resourcesacademic conceptacademic constitutionalismacademic descriptorsacademic discipline frameworkacademic disciplinesacademic eventacademic exerciseacademic explanation
Show 27 more words
academic goalacademic inquiryacademic mattersacademic progressacademic projectacademic regimenacademic significanceacademic subjectacademic subjectsacademic taskacademic techniqueacademic vocabularyacademicaladvanced mathematicsalgebraicalgebraic approachalgebraic proofarmchair guessworkbrief reportconceptual approachconceptual articleconceptual atom modelconceptual categoryconceptual descriptionconceptual descriptorconceptual forceconceptual framework
Verb(2 words)
Strong matches (194)
Adjective(29 words)
conceptual ideaconceptual labelconceptual linkageconceptual mechanical interactionconceptual model approachconceptual operationconceptual physicsconceptual physics homeworkconceptual proofconceptual understandingconceptualisticconcise summarycryptographic theoryformlessgeometric patternshigh levelhigher mathidealizedimmaterialimmaterial entity
Show 9 more words
immaterial matterinstructional notionintangible ideamathematical conceptmathematical conceptsmathematical objectmathematical theorymathematical toolmatterless environment
Noun(44 words)
conceptual judgmentconceptual knowledgeconceptual mapconceptual modelconceptual model sketchconceptual planconceptual processconceptual questionconceptual tagconceptualizingcondensationscondensecontemplatecubist influenceddetachdifficult to learndigestsdistilledencapsulationsepitomes
Show 24 more words
extractfradicinfrench théoriquefthmgeneralizegeneralizedgeometric abstractiongerman theoretischhealthcare concepthigh level modelhigh level overviewhigh level physicshigh level physics coursehigh level unitimmaterial thing propertyintangibleintangible evidenceintellectual capacityitalian teoricoless physicallogical propositionsmathematical operationmathematical symbolmelagra
Verb(14 words)
condensationcondensecondensed versionconjecturalconspectuscontractcopcopycribcropcurtailcurtailmentcutcut backcut downcut off shortcut outcut shortcycloramadaub
Show 86 more words
decreasedeductdeepdefrauddeportdepreciatederogatedetacheddetractdigestdiminishdiptychdisconnectdisengagedisinteresteddisparagedispassionatedispose ofdissociatedivertdividedockdraftdraindraughtdraughtsmandraughtyeat awayejectelideeliminateelisionellipsisembezzleengravingepitomeepitomizeeradicateerodeesotericessenceexileexpatriateexpelextortextractextremityfeaturelessfilchfile awayforeshortenforeshorteningfrescogeneralgeneralitygeneralizedgenericget quit ofget rid ofget shut ofheadhiddenhookhypothetichypotheticaliconidealideationalilluminationillustrationimageimaginaryimpairimpersonalimpracticalindefiniteindeterminateineffableintellectualisolateleachlessenliftlikenessliquidatemake off with
Adverb(1 words)
highly theoretical modeling
Related words (324)
mentalmetaphysicalminiaturemontagemootmosaicmowmuralnebulousneutralnipnonspecificnotationnotionaloccultoutlawoutlineoverviewpalmpandect
Show 127 more words
panoramapartphilosophicalphotographpick outpicturepilferpinchpoachpocketpoker facedpoker-facedpollpollardpostulatoryprecisprintprofoundprogrammeprunepurepurgepurifypurloinreaprecaprecapitulaterecapitulationreconditereducereductionrefineremoverepresentationreproductionresumeretrenchretrenchmentreviewridromanticroot outroot uprub awayrubricrun away withrustlescroungesecretselectionseparateshaveshearshopliftshortenshortened versionshorteningskeletonsketchsnaresnatchsnitchsnubspeculativestained glass windowstealstencilstill lifestrike offstrike outstuntsubductsubjectivesublimesubtractsum upsummarizesummarysummationsurveyswindleswipesyllabussymbolicsyncopesynopsissynopsizetableautaketake awaytake fromtake intapestrytelescopetelescopingtexttheoreticalthievethinthin outthrow overthrow overboardthumbnail sketchtopical outlinetranscendenttranscendentaltrimtriptychtruncatetruncationunapplieduncharacterizeduncoupleundemonstrableundifferentiatedunpracticalunspecifiedutopianvaguevisionarywalk off withwall paintingwear awayweedweed outwidewithdraw
Noun(74 words)
metaphysical artmodern artmore algebraicmore conceptualmore mathematicalmore nonphysicalmost academicmost academic disciplinemost idealisticmost immaterialmost nonphysicalmost theoreticalmost unobservablenon physical science unitnon symbolic artnonobjectivenonphysics contentnonrepresentationalnonrepresentational artnorwegian teoretisk
Show 54 more words
notionalnutshellspaper modelparaphrasephilosophizingphysics conceptphysics conceptsplatonistpolitical conceptponderportuguese teóricoprecisesproof item propositionprécisremoveschematicseparateshort reportskeleton figurestring theorystudy summarystudy synopsisstylizedsummariessummarizationsummarizesummarizedsummarizingsummarysummationssymbolic calculussymbolic logicalsynopsestheological frameworktheoreticaltheoretical approachtheoretical assumptiontheoretical atom modeltheoretical biologytheoretical computer sciencetheoretical efficiency measuretheoretical exercisetheoretical onlytheoretical papertheoretical physiciststheorizetheorizingtheory basedtheory changedtoy modeltrasformazione algebricauniversity-style exerciseunmeasurable traitybit
Adjective(85 words)
metaphysical definitionnon physics relatednoncontextualnondiagrammaticnonfigurativenonfigurative stylenongeometricnonillustrativenonmaterial culturenonmaterial itemsnonobjectivenonobservationalnonphysicalnonphysical chemistrynonphysical conceptnonphysical eventnonphysical evidencenonphysical processnonphysical quantitynonspatial
Show 65 more words
nonspatial methodsnotational conceptphilosophicphilosophicalphilosophical conceptphilosophical immaterialityphilosophical jurisprudencephilosophical theoryphysical chemistry theoryplatonicpolitical theorypolitical theory classpolitical theory discussionpsychological constructpurepure math toolspure mathematicspure solutionquick summaryrural sociology theoryscholarly termshort summaryshort-form articlespanish teóricosummary reviewtheoretictheoretical analysistheoretical argumenttheoretical backgroundtheoretical basistheoretical chemistrytheoretical claimtheoretical concepttheoretical constructtheoretical critiquetheoretical descriptortheoretical descriptor concepttheoretical descriptorstheoretical energiestheoretical energy frameworktheoretical energy potentialtheoretical evidencetheoretical frameworktheoretical ideatheoretical importancetheoretical instructiontheoretical linguisticstheoretical logictheoretical logiciantheoretical math educationtheoretical mathematicstheoretical methodstheoretical microbiologytheoretical modelingtheoretical resulttheoretical sciencetheoretical skilltheoretical studytheoretical subjecttheoretical tasktheoretical termtheoretical unittheoretical workunlifelikeunobservable concept
Verb(15 words)
Adverb(2 words)
more academic disciplinepurely conceptual education
Determiner(1 words)
theoretical model
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: outline, precis, synopsis, abate, abbreviate.
- Sentence evidence is available for abstract, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "abstract".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "abstract"
Keep "abstract" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "abstract" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "abstract", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "abstract" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
34 entriesart formcognitionconceptconceptionconsiderconstructdealdescriptiondescriptordocumentgeneralizationlook atphysical actionqualityreasoningreckon
Showing 16 of 34 words.
More specific
22 entriesabstract ideaaction paintingbrief abstractcolor fieldconceptconceptualizationcubismdeductive reasoningdetach partexecutive summaryexpressionismgeometric abstractioninductive reasoningminimalismnotionoutline
Showing 16 of 22 words.
Collocations
16 entriesabstract artabstract conceptabstract ideaabstract of the reportabstract paintingabstract reasoningabstract summaryabstract thinkingabstract writingacademic abstractan abstractconcise abstractexecutive summarylengthy abstractshort abstractthe abstract
Inflections
5 entriesDerivations
8 entriesAntonyms
1 entriessimilar
11 entriesTranslations
73 translations across 24 languages.
Armenian
1 entries- աբստրահել verb (to consider abstractly)
Bulgarian
2 entries- отделям verb (to separate; to disengage)
- отнемам verb (to separate; to disengage)
Catalan
1 entries- xifra noun (something that concentrates in itself the qualities of something else)
Dutch
4 entries- afwezig adj (absent in mind)
- algemeen adj (general as opposed to particular)
- verstrooid adj (absent in mind)
- essentie noun (something that concentrates in itself the qualities of something else)
Esperanto
1 entries- abstrakti verb (to consider abstractly)
Finnish
4 entries- poissaoleva adj (absent in mind)
- yleinen adj (general as opposed to particular)
- aineellistuma noun (something that concentrates in itself the qualities of something else)
- eristää verb (to separate; to disengage)
French
3 entries- abstrait adj (absent in mind)
- abstrait adj (general as opposed to particular)
- abstraire verb (to separate; to disengage)
German
2 entries- abstrahieren verb (to consider abstractly)
- trennen verb (to separate; to disengage)
Greek
3 entries- αφηρημένος adj (absent in mind)
- αποσπώ verb (to separate; to disengage)
- διαχωρίζω verb (to separate; to disengage)
Hindi
4 entries- निचोड noun (something that concentrates in itself the qualities of something else)
- अमूर्तरूपसे लेना verb (to consider abstractly)
- अलग करना verb (to separate; to disengage)
- निकाल देना verb (to separate; to disengage)
Indonesian
4 entries- abstrak noun (something that concentrates in itself the qualities of something else)
- sari noun (something that concentrates in itself the qualities of something else)
- mengabstrakkan verb (to separate; to disengage)
- mengabstrakkan verb (to consider abstractly)
Italian
3 entries- estrarre verb (to separate; to disengage)
- rimuovere verb (to separate; to disengage)
- sottrarre verb (to separate; to disengage)
Japanese
2 entries- 抽象的 adj (general as opposed to particular)
- 取る verb (to separate; to disengage)
Latvian
2 entries- atšķirt verb (to separate; to disengage)
- nošķirt verb (to separate; to disengage)
Marathi
3 entries- अमूर्तपणे घेणे verb (to consider abstractly)
- काढून टाकणे verb (to separate; to disengage)
- वेगळे करणे verb (to separate; to disengage)
Norwegian Bokmål
4 entries- abstrakt adj (general as opposed to particular)
- distrahert adj (absent in mind)
- generell adj (general as opposed to particular)
- sammenfatning noun (something that concentrates in itself the qualities of something else)
Persian
2 entries- انتزاعی adj (absent in mind)
- انتزاعیدن verb (to consider abstractly)
Polish
2 entries- odciągać verb (to separate; to disengage)
- odciągnąć verb (to separate; to disengage)
Portuguese
4 entries- abstrato adj (absent in mind)
- abstrato adj (general as opposed to particular)
- desatento adj (absent in mind)
- distraído adj (absent in mind)
Quechua
1 entries- llulmiy verb (to separate; to disengage)
Romanian
2 entries- concentrat noun (something that concentrates in itself the qualities of something else)
- esență noun (something that concentrates in itself the qualities of something else)
Spanish
3 entries- abstraer verb (to separate; to disengage)
- abstraer verb (to consider abstractly)
- retirar verb (to separate; to disengage)
Swedish
4 entries- abstrahera verb (to separate; to disengage)
- skilja av verb (to separate; to disengage)
- skilja ut verb (to separate; to disengage)
- ta bort verb (to separate; to disengage)
Yiddish
1 entries- אַבסטראַהירן verb (to consider abstractly)
Sample sentences
35 total sentences available.
The theory is too abstract for me.
Source: tatoeba (43489)
The new theory is too abstract for ordinary people.
Source: tatoeba (46101)
Your explanation is too abstract to me.
Source: tatoeba (70493)
Showing 4 of 35 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "abstract"?
Closest matches include outline, precis, synopsis, abate, abbreviate.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "abstract"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.