1
: relating to or involving general ideas or qualities rather than specific people, objects, or actions
abstract thinking
abstract ideas/concepts such as love and hate
"Honesty" is an abstract word.
The word "poem" is concrete, the word "poetry" is abstract.
2
of art
: expressing ideas and emotions by using elements such as colors and lines without attempting to create a realistic picture
abstract art
an abstract painting/painter
plural abstracts
1
: a brief written statement of the main points or facts in a longer report, speech, etc. : summary
2
: an abstract work of art (such as a painting)
an artist admired for his abstracts
abstracts; abstracted; abstracting
1
: to make a summary of the main parts of (a report, speech, etc.) : to make an abstract of (something)
abstract [=summarize] an academic paper
2
: to obtain or remove (something) from a source
Data for the study was abstracted from hospital records.
3
chiefly British, humorous
: to steal (something)
She accused him of abstracting [=pinching] some money from her purse.
Cite this Entry
“Abstract.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/abstract. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.
Copy Citation
