Definition of abstractnext
1
as in to distract
to draw the attention or mind to something else personal problems abstracted him so persistently that he struggled to keep his mind on his work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2

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 abstract
Adjective
Biden in recent years has turned to art, workingprimarily in abstract, mixed-media pieces exploring themes of memory, transformation, and the natural world. — Brian Steinberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026 Chicago — For many people, the idea of being food insecure is abstract. — Kathleen Toner, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
With that, designers are creating unexpected pairings, such as marrying it to a graphic abstract, adding a splash of leopard, or even swathing an entire space in a single ivy-forward pattern. — Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 July 2026 The company invests heavily in identifying candidates whose skills, work style, and professional outlook align with the specific client they’re being hired for, not just the role in the abstract. — William Jones, USA Today, 18 June 2026
Verb
Helios also comes with a software stack that abstracts its user’s intentions from the actual qubit hardware. — ArsTechnica, 17 June 2026 The woodcut birth figures contained in these books were not images drawn from observation—pregnant cadavers for anatomical drawing were hard to come by—but were instead abstracted diagrams of the chaotic diversity of laboring bodies. — Literary Hub, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for abstract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstract
Adjective
  • For now, the research work establishes a theoretical possibility under restrictive conditions, not evidence that any black hole has ever been divided into two.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 25 Oct. 2026
  • Such scenarios may become more common as militaries continue to deploy a once-theoretical technology — AI-assisted or autonomous weapons, capable of making both targeting and launch decisions on their own — on real battlefields around the globe.
    — Kylie Jones, Vox, 25 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Inevitably, much of that knowledge was still undigested and poorly sorted; as a result the planet, viewed from Europe, must have seemed a rather impressionistic and formless place.
    — Ian Tattersall, The New York Review of Books, 19 Sep. 2026
  • As Pattinson spends a long night trying to rescue his brother, the Safdies weave a nightmarish, impressionistic vision of New York that ranks among the most unsettling cinematic depictions of the city.
    — Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Chatbots can also explain complex topics in new ways and condense an overwhelming amount of information into a simple summary.
    — Robin Brewer, The Conversation, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Insiders cited broad industry-wide online traffic problems plaguing numerous online publishers, including Meta’s decision to deprioritize links to news articles and the rise of chatbots and AI summaries, which have decimated search traffic.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 25 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In this iteration, their physiques are displayed not for aesthetic purposes but as a visual manifestation of volatile power.
    — Jay Weissberg, Variety, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The store was designed by Storage Milano in partnership with Tommasi Bardelle and is a physical manifestation of the brand.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In each case, the visible problem can distract from the value underneath it.
    — Michael Ligon, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • The Democrat, who supports Jackson, thinks there’s wisdom in trying to avoid gaffes that distract from Collins.
    — Julia Terruso, Time, 26 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Much like how a calculator can instantly solve mathematical equations too long for the human brain to compute, generative AI can help someone quickly summarize long articles and draft emails.
    — Roger Beaty, The Conversation, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Stop Apple Intelligence from summarizing your notifications There's another AI feature that may bother some iPhone owners.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The latter perhaps most acutely reflected such dominant motifs in Gibson’s midcareer work as female figures, birds, and metaphysical reflectors.
    — The Editors of ARTnews, ARTnews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The best moments on records like Redemption, Blackheart, and Second Line use her knack for grand, metaphysical metaphors to charge her singing with epic stakes.
    — Stephen Kearse, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Two paintings by impressionist master Pierre-Auguste Renoir, stolen from a museum in southern France and later discovered hidden behind a wall, have sustained slight damage, prosecutors said on Monday.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • In 2013, Kardashian’s then-husband Kanye West gifted her a Hermès Birkin bag for Christmas that featured an impressionist painting of nudes by artist George Condo.
    — Erin Wisti, Footwear News, 11 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Abstract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstract. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

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