as in notions
something imagined or pictured in the mind
to a people who have lived under one dictatorship after another, democracy and freedom are mere abstractions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 abstractions
German photographer Wolfgang Tillmans opens his 10th Los Angeles exhibition at Regen Projects, showcasing work spanning fine art, portraiture and experimental abstractions.
—
Steve Appleford, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
What has been hardest is seeing ordinary lives, families, young people, civilians slowly reduced to headlines or abstractions, rather than recognized as individuals living under immense and sustained pressure.
—Emily Chan, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2026
Some of these abstractions are more evocative than others.
—H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
The killing of Renee Good demands more than reassurances and legal abstractions or thoughts and prayers.
—Yohuru Williams, Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2026
Figures press against one another geographically, and against the polite abstractions of mid-century modernism.
—Skylar Mitchell, Essence, 18 Dec. 2025
The paintings are serious works of deliberate construction which read satisfactorily as abstractions not unrelated to the work of Caio Fonseca.
—Erin Parish, Miami Herald, 5 Dec. 2025
Thorough audit of old architecture, gradual migration of key components, facades, abstractions to avoid breaking everything at once.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Dec. 2025
Unemployment was spreading across Europe and fascism was on the rise, but these were distant abstractions.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Steve Appleford, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2026
What has been hardest is seeing ordinary lives, families, young people, civilians slowly reduced to headlines or abstractions, rather than recognized as individuals living under immense and sustained pressure.
—Emily Chan, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2026
Some of these abstractions are more evocative than others.
—H.d. Angel, Pitchfork, 6 Feb. 2026
The killing of Renee Good demands more than reassurances and legal abstractions or thoughts and prayers.
—Yohuru Williams, Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2026
Figures press against one another geographically, and against the polite abstractions of mid-century modernism.
—Skylar Mitchell, Essence, 18 Dec. 2025
The paintings are serious works of deliberate construction which read satisfactorily as abstractions not unrelated to the work of Caio Fonseca.
—Erin Parish, Miami Herald, 5 Dec. 2025
Thorough audit of old architecture, gradual migration of key components, facades, abstractions to avoid breaking everything at once.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 5 Dec. 2025
Unemployment was spreading across Europe and fascism was on the rise, but these were distant abstractions.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstractions
Noun
-
These aren’t just vague wellness notions.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
21 Feb. 2026
-
In the heyday of ESG investing, trillions poured into vague notions of sustainability with a vision of enormous returns but without a clear plan.—
Justin Worland,
Time,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Calderon, Becerra and Mahan floated ideas like investing more state funds to increase child care providers’ wages for programs like Head Start, a federal early childhood care program.—
Lia Russell
Updated February 19,
Sacbee.com,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Bateman said it’s been an education for him personally, chatting with these men over dinner and exchanging ideas.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
View gallery - 9 images One of the more out-there concepts to emerge from CMT 2026, the Wingcube is a unique style of trailerable expanding camp pod.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Others in the science social media space have noted Bohon’s skill at discussing concepts, such as Emily Zawacki, a geology TikToker known as @its_sedimentary.—
Graham Womack,
Sacbee.com,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Sky and his wife spent the day sharing their thoughts with reporters from CNN and CBS News, the BBC and NBC.—
Laura Trujillo,
USA Today,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Her thoughts turned to memories of her mother.—
Gaby Wood,
Vogue,
21 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As a means of generating its own conceptions of goodness that feel compelling to most human beings, its record is quite mixed, perhaps because that’s not what it was ever designed to do.—
Christopher Beha,
New Yorker,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Farrell and Kidman are outstanding, even as Lanthimos' ritualistic plotting and direction keep them hemmed into their characters' rigid conceptions.—
Dennis Perkins,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Since the end of his playing days, Griffey has embraced photography, taking pictures from the African savanna to the Masters Tournament in Georgia.—
C. Trent Rosecrans,
New York Times,
19 Feb. 2026
-
Data centers — rooms or buildings full of computer servers — have been storing cellphone pictures, emails and social media accounts for years.—
Makenzie Huber,
States Newsroom,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Proving my first impressions wrong, McVey has the skills to launch breakouts and support efforts downfield.—
Tom Krasovic,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
11 Feb. 2026
-
NBCUniversal also says that content from the episode has hit more than 101M social impressions.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Abstractions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstractions. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
