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
Users would take the drug and enter a trancelike state, after which many reported encounters with the spirits of dead ancestors or personifications of abstract forces such as time and death. Dan Brooks, The Atlantic, 21 Feb. 2025 How Jazz Albums Visualized a Changing America In the 1950s, the covers of most jazz records featured abstract designs. JSTOR Daily, 20 Feb. 2025
Noun
The journal Citizen Science: Theory and Practice is looking for abstracts for a Special Collection on citizen science in Galleries, Libraries, Archives and Museums (GLAM). Bob Hirshon, Discover Magazine, 20 Dec. 2024 This genre embodies the essence of classic jazz, modernist blues, and funky hip-hop, infused with themes related to Black diaspora, with a magnetic reach that appealed to consumers of the abstract. Ime Ekpo, Forbes, 30 Oct. 2024
Verb
That space the evil one abstracted stood From his own evil, and for the time remained Stupidly good, of enmity disarmed. Merve Emre, The New Yorker, 16 Dec. 2024 Even abstracting from the question of tariff avoidance, there is no denying the unsettling Mexican dependence on China trade. Milton Ezrati, Forbes, 26 Oct. 2024 See All Example Sentences for abstract
Recent Examples of Synonyms for abstract
Adjective
  • This Morning, This Evening (a portrait of a rural Alabama community in which Ross embedded himself), to Nickel Boys, his impressionistic bravura fiction feature debut about two Black boys sent to a reform school in Jim Crow–era Florida.
    Lisa Wong Macabasco, Vogue, 22 Feb. 2025
  • His work is instantly recognizable, with vibrant, impressionistic swirls of purple, orange, green and red.
    John Wenzel, The Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The military released only a summary of the report and military officials outlined its findings.
    MOHAMMAD JAHJOUH, WAFAA SHURAFA, NATALIE MELZER AND TIA GOLDENBERG THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, arkansasonline.com, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Agencies will still be allowed to offer documents and services in languages other than English, according to a White House summary of the order seen by The Wall Street Journal.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Newgate Prison, situated in London’s city center, had long been the target of scrutiny as one of the most infamous manifestations of Victorian punitive ideology.
    Sarah C. Schaefer, Artforum, 1 Mar. 2025
  • The gathering in Kragujevac is just one manifestation of the largest popular revolt in Serbia since the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević, in which students played a key role.
    Dominique Soguel, The Christian Science Monitor, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Such a merger seems exceedingly far from likely, even if Tesla CEO Elon Musk wasn't completely distracted dismantling the federal government and its workforce.
    Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 21 Feb. 2025
  • There's a lot to get distracted by, which is a big part of the fun.
    PCMAG, PCMAG, 20 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Perplexity gathers the information, summarizes it, presents it, and takes follow-up questions to dig deeper.
    Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 24 Feb. 2025
  • To summarize the rest would take a couple more columns-worth of length.
    John Warner, Chicago Tribune, 22 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • This transition from theoretical to practical confrontation is all but debilitating, as the grieving father reaches the limits of his empathy.
    Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 24 Feb. 2025
  • These regulations and safety measures are not just theoretical.
    Essence, Essence, 24 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The outline provides guardrails, keeping the narrative focused and purposeful.
    JD Barker, Rolling Stone, 24 Feb. 2025
  • This spacious pouch has all the classic features of the brand’s other functional bags, but this iteration is decorated with a rich, silky red sheen, complete with the subtle outline of a snake.
    Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 23 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • But despite the media blitz projecting images of an unrelenting nationwide sweep, so far, the deportation of migrants is well below the monthly average during the Biden administration, and there is little evidence that ICE is arresting or detaining any more people than usual.
    Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2025
  • For example, the site posts the flight path, images, coordinates, maps and information from news sources and social media posts for the Delta flight that rolled over in Toronto Pearson.
    Ramishah Maruf, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Abstract.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstract. Accessed 5 Mar. 2025.

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