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

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 abstraction Each tile is the same size, but for most of the tables, the abstraction of the design means collectors can choose how they are arranged. — Marissa Gluck, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026 As the camera focused on a star player making a touchdown or a slam dunk, the faces of the fans behind them would coalesce into a colorful, murky abstraction. — Ryan Sullivan, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026 Nickless moves between recognizable images and abstraction throughout the show. — Erin Parish, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026 Architectural decisions can be convictions, too, if they are made at a high enough level of abstraction. — Amir Wain, Forbes.com, 23 Sep. 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
  • Our research and engineering remain world-class, but our record of getting ideas to market and improving how products are made has been less stellar.
    — Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
  • It has also been designed as a neighborhood gathering space, with Apartment at 365, the physical space representing the Happier pillar of discovery, idea exchange, community, creativity and collaboration.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
Definition of idea
Noun
  • Charging infrastructure at ports would supply the electricity needed for operation, allowing the concept to avoid direct carbon emissions while sailing.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The process started with 2D concept art, mapping out the shapes the team needed to build Wicker Husband.
    — Kirbie Johnson, Allure, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of concept
Noun
  • Bloomberg reports that despite having helped with the company’s conception, Luckey has no equity or ongoing role in Warhound.
    — Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 23 Oct. 2026
  • At the time, the Busby Berkeley conception of musical film as outlandish spectacle was the choreographic vogue.
    — David Hajdu, Vanity Fair, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of conception
Noun
  • Such long-term investment is difficult to reconcile with the notion of an imminent military confrontation.
    — Ningrong Liu, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
  • The civic organization has questioned whether his scrutiny over its finances and a reverter clause in the youth center’s deed is politically motivated, a notion Lago denies.
    — Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of notion
Noun
  • Suddenly, everything that the brain was handling automatically becomes a conscious thought.
    — Jesse Granger, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Overreporting runs the risk of shunting troubled kids into the criminal-justice system merely for expressing morbid thoughts.
    — Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of thought
Noun
  • What Zuckerberg hasn’t addressed directly, on the podcast or the earnings call, is whether agents will eat into the ad impressions that generate nearly all of Meta’s revenue today.
    — Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Vance left a positive impression on his RJC audience while stopping short of disavowing influential conservative podcast host Tucker Carlson.
    — Thomas Beaumont, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of impression

Browse Nearby Words

abstracting
abstraction
abstractions
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Abstraction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/abstraction. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on abstraction

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about abstraction

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All