Abstract Noun: Definition, Formation, Examples, Exercises with Answers

An abstract noun refers to something that we cannot see, taste, touch, smell, or hear, but can feel, imagine, or think about. In simple terms, abstract nouns are intangible things that describe an idea, state, emotion, or quality instead of a physical object. Abstract Nouns can be formed by changing verbs, adjectives, and other nouns after adding certain suffixes.

Abstract nouns can be countable as well as uncountable noun, depending on whether they are used to talk about a general idea or specific examples of that idea.

Examples:

• She showed remarkable patience during the long wait.
• His curiosity led him to explore new ideas.
• The team's determination helped them win the championship.
• Their friendship lasted through all challenges.
• Justice must be fair to all people, regardless of status.

Definition of Abstract Noun: Oxford Dictionary

According to Oxford Dictionary, “an abstract noun is a noun, for example goodness or freedom, that refers to an idea or a general quality, not to a physical object”.

For Example:

• Honesty is the best policy.
• They treated the guests with great kindness.
• Freedom is something everyone deserves.
• Respect is earned, not given.

Word Origin: The term “abstract noun” comes from Latin roots; abstractus (past participle of abstrahere), meaning “to draw away” and nomen, meaning “name”.

Pronunciation:

UK:  /ˌæb.strækt ˈnaʊn/

US:  /ˌæb.strækt ˈnaʊn/

Definition of Abstract Noun: Cambridge Dictionary

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, “an abstract noun is a noun that refers to a thing that does not exist as a material object”.

Also Read: Definition of Prepositions in English Grammar

Refer to the table below for some common abstract nouns listed in different categories:

Emotions & Feelings	Qualities & Traits
Love	Loyalty
Anger	Honesty
Joy	Kindness
Fear	Bravery
Happiness	Courage
Anxiety	Intelligence
States & Conditions	Ideas & Concepts
Freedom	Faith
Poverty	Truth
Health	Justice
Wealth	Knowledge
Silence	Success
Confusion	Religion

With the help of these abstract nouns, you can also create a list of your own under each of these categories.

We can convert verbs, adjectives, and common nouns into abstract nouns by adding suffixes. The rules of abstract nouns in English grammar are as follows:

Verbs into Abstract Nouns

To form abstract nouns from verbs, add suffixes like –tion, -ance, -ence, -ment, -al, -ing, etc.

Verbs	Abstract Nouns
Decide	Decision
Grow	Growth
Appear	Appearance
Fail	Failure
Inform	Information

Also Read: What are Prefixes?

Adjectives into Abstract Nouns

To form abstract nouns from adjectives, add suffixes like –ity, -ness, -ence, -ment, -cy, etc.

Adjectives	Abstract Nouns
Fond	Fondness
Honest	Honesty
Patient	Patience
Curious	Curiosity
Intelligent	Intelligence

Common Nouns into Abstract Nouns

To form abstract nouns from common nouns, refer to their state or quality, and add relevant suffix.

Common Nouns	Abstract Nouns
Child	Childhood
King	Kingship
Relation	Relationship
Hero	Heroism
Friend	Friendship

Abstract nouns work like regular nouns. They can be used as a subject, object, or complement of a sentence. The different ways to use abstract nouns in a sentence with some examples are as follows:

1. Abstract Nouns as the Subject of a Sentence

As a subject, an abstract noun acts as the main focus of the sentence. Simply put, it tells us what the sentence is about, even though it is intangible.

Example:

• Fear stops people from trying new things.

(Here, fear is the subject – it is being described as something which stops people from trying new things.)

• Happiness brings peace to the mind.

(Here, happiness is the subject – it is being described as something that brings peace to the mind.)

2. Abstract Nouns as the Object of a Sentence

As an object, the abstract nouns act as the receiver of the action of the sentence. When used as an object, the abstract nouns come after the verb.

Example:

• She showed great courage.

(Here, Courage is the object of the verb “showed”.)

• She accepted their party invitation.

(Here, Invitation is the object of the verb “accepted”.)

3. Abstract Nouns with Articles or Adjectives

Articles (a, an, the) or adjectives are used before the abstract nouns. 

Example:

• He felt a deep shock after hearing the news.

(Here, Shock is made specific by the article “a” and the adjective “deep”.)

• She showed an unusual kindness to the beggar.

Here, Kindness is made specific by the article “an” and the adjective “unusual”.)

4. Abstract Nouns in Universal Truths or Quotes

Abstract nouns are often used in proverbs and moral lessons to tell general truths or values.

Example:

• Truth always wins.

(Here, Truth is used as a general concept, showing a universal idea.)

• Patience leads to success.

(Here, Patience is a general concept, showing a universal idea.)

Also Read:

• How to Use One-Word Substitution in a Sentence?
• Punctuation Rules in English Grammar
• Rules of Analogy

As we have learnt, abstract nouns are formed by adding suffixes to verbs and/or adjectives. However, there are some words in English Grammar that act as both a verb and a noun. These words don’t even have different spellings. In order to use these kinds of words, we have to understand the context and determine their function, as sometimes a noun may also refer to an abstract idea.

Let’s learn some words that can be used as verbs and as abstract nouns.

English Words	As a Verb	As an Abstract Noun
Fear	Don’t fear the unknown.	Fear can paralyze a person’s mind.
Dream	I dream of becoming a dancer.	Her dream is to fly high in the sky.
Cry	Don’t cry over spilled condiments.	Her cry for help was ignored.
Promise	I promise to call you later.	A promise must always be kept.
Need	You need to stay healthy.	The need for clean water is universal.

Simply put, if a word names an idea, emotion, or activity instead of a physical object, it is an abstract noun.

Read the section below to learn tips to identify abstract nouns in a sentence:

1. Ask Yourself, Is It Intangible?

If you cannot physically see, touch, feel, or hold the noun, it is classified as an abstract noun. Nouns that describe only intangible things that can be felt or imagined are abstract.

Example:

Words like sadness, happiness, anxiety, etc., can only be felt and not seen or touched.

• Her pain brings sadness to her mother’s eyes.
• He feels anxiety while giving a speech to a large number of people.

2. Check For Emotional or Mental Activity

Words showing feelings or states of mind are considered abstract nouns as they happen inside the mind of a person and are thus intangible.

Example:

• Her happiness was visible from her voice.
• His anger frightened the child.

3. Look for Words Showing Feelings, Qualities, or Ideas

As we know, abstract nouns describe non-physical or intangible things. Look for words expressing emotions, qualities, or ideas in the sentence. If the noun is referring to something you experience or think about, or feel, it is an abstract noun.

Example:

Emotions: fear, sadness, consciousness

• Consciousness returned slowly after the operation.
• Fear kept him from speaking the truth.

Qualities: Bravery, Sweetness, Kindness

• The kid showed
• Her sweetness won everyone’s heart.

States: Brotherhood, Silence, Poverty

• As the principal shouted, silence reigned in the hall.
• Poverty is a serious issue.

Ideas: Justice, Hate, Love

• I hate Peanu, Butter Jelly bread combination.
• Justice must prevail at any cost.

4. Check ‘What is Being Talked About’

If a sentence is talking about an idea, concept, belief, or condition, then the noun used in the sentence is abstract.

Example:

• The soldiers fought for our (Concept or Idea, or Universal Truth)
• Education is the key to

5. Look Out for Suffixes

Most of the abstract nouns end with suffixes like –ness, -tion, -ship, -ity, -ion, etc. These suffixes are usually proof of the word being an abstract noun.

Examples:

-ness: Sadness, Kindness, Happiness

• Her happiness was obvious on her birthday.

-ity: Honesty, Ability

• I have the ability to complete this task.

-ance/-ence: Patience, Importance

• He gives great importance to his mother.

-ship: Leadership, Friendship

• Their friendship lasted for decades.

Also Read:

• How to Identify Adverbs in a Sentence?
• How to Identify Paraphrasing in a Sentence?