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abstraction

noun

ab-ˈstrak-shən How to pronounce abstraction (audio)
Definition of abstractionnext
as in idea
something imagined or pictured in the mind to a people who have lived under one dictatorship after another, democracy and freedom are mere abstractions

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 abstraction Values on a wall ask people to interpret abstractions, while stories carry judgment and understanding inside them. — Bryan Adams, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026 The film is downright Tarkovskian for its initial hour, unspooling through eerie abstractions that heighten its lingering domestic turmoil. — Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026 Kusama died on August 14 in Tokyo at age 97, leaving behind an iconic oeuvre of abstractions and an art world remade by the rise of her global brand. — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 2 Sep. 2026 On an infinite graph — an abstraction where the graph extends forever in all directions — one or several infinite seas will dominate. — Leila Sloman, Quanta Magazine, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for abstraction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstraction
  1. idea
  2. concept
  3. conception
  4. notion
  5. thought
  6. impression
Noun
  • The new experiment tested those competing ideas by deliberately weakening the electron interactions.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Sep. 2026
  • But the head of Germany’s central bank, who is also a member of the European Central Bank Governing Council, said Melenchon’s debt cancelation idea would be forbidden under the currency bloc’s rules and could lead to hyperinflation.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of idea
Noun
  • Test the concept through a short presentation, conversation, or early version rather than keeping it theoretical.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2026
  • The new banner will develop and produce projects across film, TV, audio and live experiences for exploitation at home and abroad by optioning popular literary works and original concepts.
    — Etan Vlessing, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of concept
Noun
  • Beatrice, played by actual academic Anne-Laure Sellier, is a professor at Columbia whose work focuses on how historical conceptions of memory can inform present-day studies of the brain.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The move would have been difficult to imagine under the traditional conception of college sports.
    — Joshua Hong, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of conception
Noun
  • As for whether there are actual strategic reasons for his dominance in Armstrong, Tiafoe dismissed the notion.
    — Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Only truly sophisticated taste, in this code, grasps the superiority of deprivation over the more ethnic notions of actual comfort and good food.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of notion
Noun
  • For one thing covetousness, as opposed to the more concrete sins like theft or murder or adultery, is a thought crime, and almost all that goes on here, happens within the minds of the characters.
    — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Halftime thoughts The Hurricanes go into halftime with a 28-6 lead on Stanford.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of thought
Noun
  • Helenius made quite the impression scoring two goals in four playoff games against the Canadiens in the spring.
    — Matthew Fairburn, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • But Meta delayed removal for days as the ad leaped from four impressions to 330.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of impression

Browse Nearby Words

abstracting
abstraction
abstractions
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Cite this Entry

“Abstraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstraction. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on abstraction

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about abstraction

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