What are Abstract Nouns: Examples and Uses!
What are Abstract Nouns: Examples and Uses!
No matter what language you are learning, you should understand that abstract nouns are an important topic to master. This is due to the fact that these nouns enable us to communicate ideas, feelings, and even states that are not perceivable through our five senses.
Abstract nouns are different from concrete nouns which refer to the things we can see, touch, or even experience physically. With abstract nouns, you can easily represent things that exist in our thoughts or feelings.
This is why you need to put your focus on understanding this important grammar pillar.
In this blog post, we are going to discuss and define in detail what abstract nouns are, give some examples, and would also discuss common uses in different contexts.
Let’s get down to the details!
What are Abstract Nouns?
An abstract noun is a type of noun that refers to an idea, quality, condition, or any concept that cannot be physically seen, touched, or felt.
Abstract nouns can easily represent state of mind, state of being, qualities, emotions, and intangible things that don’t have any physical form, for example, happiness, anger, freedom, etc.
These feelings or emotions cannot be observed or measured.
In simple words, abstract nouns describe things that exist in the mind but don’t have or cannot have a physical presence.
Key Features of Abstract Nouns
- You cannot touch, taste, hear, see, or smell abstract nouns which is why they are categorized as intangible.
- Abstract nouns usually represent concepts, thoughts, or ideas that we understand but cannot physically experience.
- Abstract nouns are majorly used in our daily language. From feelings and emotions to values and beliefs, we use these nouns to express ourselves.
To understand abstract nouns better, let us go through some examples in different scenarios/categories.
Examples of Abstract Nouns
Here we have listed some of the best examples that would help you understand abstract nouns.
In this table, we have mentioned some examples of abstract nouns that we widely use in our daily lives without knowing about them.
Some of these abstract nouns are related to our feelings, some related to qualities, and some to our state of being. The thing all abstract nouns have in common is their inability to be experienced through our physical senses.
Now that we have covered examples, let us move towards the next section!
How Abstract Nouns Are Formulated?
Another important thing you need to know about abstract nouns is that these are formed through other parts of language such as nouns, adjectives, and verbs.
Below we have discussed some examples of how abstract nouns are derived:
Some of the common suffixes are listed below for your knowledge:
- -ness referring to a state, condition, or quality (e.g. darkness from dark)
- -tion / -sion denoting the action or result of an action (e.g. impression from impress)
- -ity referring to again a state or quality (e.g. simplicity from simple)
- -ship denoting a state of being, used with relations & professions (e.g. citizenship from citizen)
- -ance / -ence again referring to a quality or characteristic (e.g. endurance from enduring or patience from patient)
- -dom refers to a state often to realms or dominions (e.g. kingdom from king)
- -ment again referring to an action or result of an action (e.g. achievement from achieve)
The 5 Common Uses of Abstract Nouns
Abstract nouns are used in various contexts, from literature to everyday conversations. Here in this section, we have discussed some of the common uses of abstract nouns.
1. Expressing Emotions and Feelings
Abstract nouns are widely used for expressing emotions or psychological states. These help writers and speakers describe complex states that cannot be physically touched or seen. For example: “His happiness could be seen in the way he smiled”.
2. Describing Qualities and Characteristics
With the help of abstract nouns, we can also describe the qualities and characteristics of people, animals, and things that are intangible. This helps in defining characters in a more evaluative manner. For example: “Her beauty was admired by everyone in the ballroom”.
3. Conveying Ideas and Concepts
Abstract nouns are used in daily life as well as academic writing for expressing concepts and ideas that are related to values, beliefs, and ideologies. For example: “We should work together for peace”
4. Discussing Time and Events
Abstract nouns are also used when we’re talking about time and events. This is because it allows us to refer to things that are conceptual and not concrete. For example: “John remembered his childhood with nostalgia”
5. Making Generic Statements
We also use abstract nouns when making general statements about certain situations, actions, or conceptions that are not specific or observable. For example: “All of us should promote equality and freedom for the masses.”
These are the five common uses of abstract nouns in our daily lives. Now let us discuss the appropriate use of these nouns.
Conclusion
Abstract nouns play a very important role in writing and communication. They allow us to express complex ideas, emotions, and concepts that are close to human experiences. Understanding abstract nouns helps us communicate our thoughts better and connect with readers on a personal level. From emotions like happiness to states of being like freedom, abstract nouns allow us to share our feelings in meaningful ways.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re a student, content creator, or language learner, understanding the abstract nouns will allow you to express yourself with precision and creativity. So, the next time you come across an abstract noun in a sentence, take a moment to reflect on the intangible idea it represents. Good Luck!