in the abstract
idiom
: without referring to a specific person, object, or event : in a general way
thinking about freedom in the abstract
Examples of in the abstract in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Student mom vows to never let kids go hungry
Her path to this forested hillside campus is paved with the kind of disruptions that policymakers often talk about in the abstract.
—
Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 19 Nov. 2025
The post-Donovan Mitchell-Rudy Gobert rebuild was a smart piece of business in the abstract that yielded major draft capital, but results appear as far away as ever.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
These were not beavers in the abstract sense, not representatives of a species, but instead two specific beavers, a pair.
—Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
Many students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, talk about college in the abstract, Hernandez said.
—Silas Allen
september 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2025
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Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 19 Nov. 2025
The post-Donovan Mitchell-Rudy Gobert rebuild was a smart piece of business in the abstract that yielded major draft capital, but results appear as far away as ever.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
These were not beavers in the abstract sense, not representatives of a species, but instead two specific beavers, a pair.
—Literary Hub, 19 Sep. 2025
Many students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, talk about college in the abstract, Hernandez said.
—Silas Allen
september 16, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for in the abstract
Cite this Entry
“In the abstract.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/in%20the%20abstract. Accessed 1 Dec. 2025.
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