abstract 1 of 3

abstract

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noun

abstract

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verb

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
The abstract painting is by Blayne Pearce Planit. Wendy Goodman, Curbed, 23 Sep. 2025 This is not an abstract problem; rising waters threaten more than a billion people in low-lying areas worldwide. Feleti Penitala Teo, Time, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
The fine jewelry collection debuts with two distinct expressions: one figural, the other abstract. Thomas Waller, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2025 By the mid-20th century, abstracts had become ubiquitous in scholarly articles. Naomi S. Baron, The Conversation, 13 Aug. 2025
Verb
For a digital computer, time is thin, unidimensional, and abstracted away from its thermodynamic arrow. Anil Seth, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025 Some network models already demonstrate how software can abstract away the complexity of managing resources across multiple providers and locations. Baris Saydag, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for abstract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstract
Adjective
  • White Out is like something from the high-modernist era of Joyce and Woolf—dark, fragmented, impressionistic, saturated with irony and black humor.
    Scott Stossel, The Atlantic, 9 Sep. 2025
  • Those scenes serve to blend the past and present in a way that suits the film’s impressionistic style.
    Caryn James, HollywoodReporter, 31 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The summary points above were compiled with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in the Miami Herald newsroom.
    Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Google is now forcing AI summaries at the top of web searches, which reduce traffic to websites and often provide dangerous misinformation.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • That is all well and good, but for us, its physical manifestation is wet, salty, and immediately threatening.
    Feleti Penitala Teo, Time, 22 Sep. 2025
  • Löfgren is a rare manifestation of sarcoidosis, an inflammatory condition.
    Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Rather than distracting from the acting, the animation also only enhances the heightened emotions of adolescence.
    James Factora, Them., 26 Sep. 2025
  • Prosecutors told the jury not to be distracted by these arguments, that the broader picture clearly showed who was at the center of these killings.
    Miguel Torres, AZCentral.com, 25 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • In an interview with Rolling Stone, Villa summarized the latest research.
    Fortesa Latifi, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2025
  • The reports must also summarize funding sources for fiscal years 2025 and 2026 related to safety and security, including any funds from federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security.
    Sophia Compton, FOXNews.com, 21 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Over the 1960s and 1970s, as well as ever since, a combination of observational and theoretical advances unequivocally demonstrated the success of the Big Bang in describing our Universe and predicting its properties.
    Ethan Siegel, Big Think, 23 Sep. 2025
  • The unfortunate reality is that relocation, once unthinkable, is no longer theoretical.
    Feleti Penitala Teo, Time, 22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • The entire collection was inspired by the post-impressionist painter, featuring bursts of color and delicate construction throughout, curated by Rodarte founders Kate and Laura Mulleavy.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
Noun
  • Also bear in mind that while these benchmark results above outline one optimal implementation of the X2 family, that won’t be the only guise that these chips show up in, by far.
    Wendy Sheehan Donnell, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Though the electronic posters come in different colors, all of them feature the outline of Swift’s Eras Tour stage — which just so happens to closely resemble a key.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 29 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Abstract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstract. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.

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