Abstract Nouns: Definition, Examples and Usage

Nouns are one of the most important components of English grammar. To be more precise, Nouns are words that take up the form of a specific object or set of objects such as living creatures, places, states of existence, or ideas. On the other hand, abstract nouns are a type of nouns which represent intangible ideas such as love, time, and beauty. These things are abstract nouns because you can’t touch them or see them. Therefore, this blog brings you a detailed guide on what abstract nouns are, their usage and examples along with practice exercises. 

What are Abstract Nouns?

Abstract means existing in thought or as an idea but not having a physical or concrete existence. An abstract noun is a noun that denotes intangible things like ideas, emotions, personality traits, a state of mind or quality. It describes things you can’t perceive with the five main senses.

Examples: love, hunger, freedom, patience, luck, beauty, bravery, etc.

Abstract Nouns Examples and Sentences

Check the following examples of Abstract Nouns in a sentence:

• Honesty is the best policy.
• A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
• Anger can ruin many good things.
• Love is a powerful emotion that can change lives.
• Her face lit up with happiness when she saw the surprise.
• The prisoners rejoiced at the taste of freedom after years of confinement.
• It takes courage to stand up for what you believe in, even in the face of adversity.
• The pursuit of justice is essential for maintaining a fair and equitable society.
• The beauty of the sunset took his breath away.
• With patience, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.

Also Read: Common Noun- Types, Usage, Examples & Exercises

Abstract Nouns Usage and Examples

It basically follows the same rules as all nouns. They can be singular or plural, can be subjects or objects in a sentence, can take up possessive form and also some abstract nouns are required to be capitalised.

• Ideas and Concepts:  life, death, humour, independence, communication, information, honour, trust, pain, pleasure, charity, deceit, opportunity, comfort, democracy, Marxism 
• Emotions and Feelings: anxiety, fear, pleasure, stress, sympathy,  happiness, sadness, anger, surprise, disgust, joy, hope
• State and Attributes: being, freedom, misery, chaos, luxury, childhood, slavery, career, marriage, determination, optimism, confusion, trouble
• Quality/Personality Traits: courage, patience, determination, generosity, honesty, kindness, beauty, bravery, honesty
• Beliefs: Christianity, Islam, Cubism
• Movements and Events: activism, commencement, future, moment, performance, progress

How to Identify Abstract Nouns?

The easiest rule to identify abstract nouns is you have to think about whether the noun can be perceived by the five senses. If not, then those are abstract nouns. However, sometimes students confuse abstract nouns with adjectives and verbs. Let’s understand the difference between them.

Abstract Nouns vs Verbs

Verbs describe actions whereas when a word represents a person, place, thing, concept or idea, it is a noun. If it can’t be directly perceived by the senses, then it is an abstract noun. The same word can function as a verb as well as an abstract noun.

Examples:

• I love the painting.
• She sends her love.

In the first sentence, the word ‘love’ functions as a verb as it describes the action of loving the painting. In the second sentence, love is an abstract noun as it cannot be perceived.

Abstract Nouns vs. Concrete Nouns

It refers to nouns that cannot be seen, heard, smelled, or touched whereas concrete nouns refer to tangible things which can be seen, heard, smelled or touched.

For example, ‘Luck‘ is an abstract noun whereas ‘Chair‘ is a concrete noun.

A chair is visible and can be touched whereas love cannot be touched.

Examples:

• Billionaire Jeff Bezos is famous for his wealth (abstract)
• Next week, we are going to Paris. (concrete)
• They said he was possessed by a ghost. (concrete)
• We heard shouting from next door. (concrete)
• Her blindness didn’t stop her from being successful. (abstract)

Forming Abstract Nouns using Suffixes

These nouns can be made from verbs, adjectives and other nouns by adding suffixes. The commonly added suffixes are –ness, -hood, -tion, -ship, -ty, -age, -acy, -ence, -ment, etc. 

Examples

From Verbs

• Grow  –  Growth
• Agree –  Agreement
• Educate  –  Education
• Relax  –  Relaxation
• Dedicate  –  Dedication
• Disappoint  –  Disappointment
• Satisfy  –  Satisfaction
• Believe  –  Belief

From Adjectives 

• Beautiful  –  Beauty
• Good  –  Goodness
• Intelligent  –  Intelligence
• Arrogant  –  Arrogance
• Lazy  –  Laziness
• Painful – Pain
• Poor – Poverty
• Young – Youth

From Nouns

• True  –  Truth
• Friend  –  Friendship
• Child – Childhood
• Slave  –  Slavery
• Infant  –  Infancy
• Owner  –  Ownership

Abstract Nouns Worksheet

Exercise 1

Read the sentences below and bold the Concrete Nouns and Abstract Nouns.

1. I felt pain when the dentist took my tooth out.
2. I fell in love with that little child.
3. After dinner, Holly went out for a walk.
4. My mom will pick me time from school every Monday.
5. The puppy jumped on the table and ate the cake.
6. Sarah’s childhood was traumatic.
7. I have full trust in my child’s nanny.
8. She is potting plants in the garden.
9. That child is very intelligent.
10. He is a loyal friend.

Answers:

1. I felt pain when the dentist took my tooth out.
2. I fell in love with that little child.
3. After dinner, Holly went out for a walk.
4. My mom will pick me time from school every Monday.
5. Puppy jumped on the table and ate cake.
6. Sarah’s childhood was traumatic.
7. I have full trust in my child’s nanny.
8. She is potting plants in the garden.
9. That child is very intelligent.
10. He is a loyal friend.

Exercise 2

Make the abstract noun from the following words.

1. Stupid
2. Agent 
3. Peculiar
4. Luxurious
5. King 
6. Jealous
7. Humble
8. Coward
9. Warm
10. chaotic

Answers:

1. Stupidity
2. Agency
3. Peculiarity 
4. Luxury
5. Kingdom
6. Jealousy
7. Humility
8. Cowardice
9. Warmth
10. Chaos

Exercise 3

Fill in the blanks with suitable abstract nouns.

1. His employees were awarded for their ……….. (brave)
2. He is a man of ……………………… (strong)
3. There is no end to his ……………………….. (wicked)
4. ……………. is the best period of one’s life. (child)
5. ………….. is said to be godliness. (clean)

Answers:

1. Bravery
2. Strength 
3. Wickedness
4. Childhood
5. Cleanliness

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