Abstract vs. Literal — What's the Difference?

Dealing with theoretical constructs.

Not abstract; concrete.

Not concrete or tied to tangible elements.

Direct and straightforward.

Relating to ideas or concepts without physical form.

Concerned with the explicit content of a text.

Broad and general, not specific.

Taking words in their usual or most basic sense without metaphor or exaggeration.

Open to various interpretations.

True to fact; not exaggerated.

Considered apart from concrete existence

Conforming or limited to the simplest, nonfigurative, or most obvious meaning of a word or words.

Not applied or practical; theoretical.

Word for word; verbatim

Difficult to understand; abstruse

Avoiding exaggeration, metaphor, or embellishment; factual; prosaic

Denoting something that is immaterial, conceptual, or nonspecific, as an idea or quality

Consisting of, using, or expressed by letters

Impersonal, as in attitude or views.

A letter or symbol that stands for itself as opposed to a feature, function, or entity associated with it in a programming language

Having an intellectual and affective artistic content that depends solely on intrinsic form rather than on narrative content or pictorial representation

Exactly as stated; read or understood without additional interpretation; according to the letter or verbal expression; real; not figurative or metaphorical, and etymonic rather than idiomatic.

A statement summarizing the important points of a text.

Following the letter or exact words; not free; not taking liberties

Something abstract.

(theology) (broadly) That which generally assumes that the plainest reading of a given scripture is correct but which allows for metaphor where context indicates it; (specifically) following the historical-grammatical method of biblical interpretation

An abstract of title.

(uncommon) Consisting of, or expressed by, letters (of an alphabet)

To take away; remove

(of a person) Unimaginative; matter-of-fact

To remove without permission; steal

(proscribed) Used non-literally as an intensifier; see literally for usage notes.

To consider (an idea, for example) as separate from particular examples or objects

A misprint (or occasionally a scribal error) that affects a letter.

(ăbstrăkt′) To write a summary of; summarize

(programming) A value, as opposed to an identifier, written into the source code of a computer program.

To create artistic abstractions of (something else, such as a concrete object or another style)

(logic) A propositional variable or the negation of a propositional variable. ^Wp

An abridgement or summary of a longer publication.

According to the letter or verbal expression; real; not figurative or metaphorical; as, the literal meaning of a phrase.

Something that concentrates in itself the qualities of a larger item, or multiple items.

Following the letter or exact words; not free.

Concentrated essence of a product.

Consisting of, or expressed by, letters.

(medicine) A powdered solid extract of a medicinal substance mixed with lactose.

Giving a strict or literal construction; unimaginative; matter-of-fact; - applied to persons.

An abstraction; an abstract term; that which is abstract.

Literal meaning.

The theoretical way of looking at things; something that exists only in idealized form.

A mistake in printed matter resulting from mechanical failures of some kind

(arts) An abstract work of art.

Being or reflecting the essential or genuine character of something;

(real estate) A summary title of the key points detailing a tract of land, for ownership; abstract of title.

Without interpretation or embellishment;

(obsolete) Derived; extracted.

Limited to the explicit meaning of a word or text;

Drawn away; removed from; apart from; separate.

Lacking stylistic embellishment;

Not concrete: conceptual, ideal.

Of the clearest kind; usually used for emphasis;

Insufficiently factual.

(of a translation) corresponding word for word with the original;

Apart from practice or reality; vague; theoretical; impersonal; not applied.

(grammar) As a noun, denoting a concept or intangible as opposed to an object, place, or person.

Difficult to understand; abstruse; hard to conceptualize.

Separately expressing a property or attribute of an object that is considered to be inherent to that object: attributive, ascriptive.

Pertaining comprehensively to, or representing, a class or group of objects, as opposed to any specific object; considered apart from any application to a particular object: general, generic, nonspecific; representational.

(archaic) Absent-minded.

(arts) Pertaining to the formal aspect of art, such as the lines, colors, shapes, and the relationships among them.

Free from representational qualities, in particular the non-representational styles of the 20^th century.

(music) Absolute.

(dance) Lacking a story.

Being a partial basis for subclasses rather than a complete template for objects.

(transitive) To separate; to disengage.

(transitive) To remove; to take away; withdraw.

To steal; to take away; to remove without permission.

(transitive) To summarize; to abridge; to epitomize.

To conceptualize an ideal subgroup by means of the generalization of an attribute, as follows: by apprehending an attribute inherent to one individual, then separating that attribute and contemplating it by itself, then conceiving of that attribute as a general quality, then despecifying that conceived quality with respect to several or many individuals, and by then ideating a group composed of those individuals perceived to possess said quality.

To extract by means of distillation.

(transitive) To consider abstractly; to contemplate separately or by itself; to consider theoretically; to look at as a general quality.

To withdraw oneself; to retire.

(transitive) To draw off (interest or attention).

To perform the process of abstraction.

To create abstractions.

To produce an abstraction, usually by refactoring existing code. Generally used with "out".

Withdraw; separate.

Considered apart from any application to a particular object; separated from matter; existing in the mind only; as, abstract truth, abstract numbers. Hence: ideal; abstruse; difficult.

Expressing a particular property of an object viewed apart from the other properties which constitute it; - opposed to concrete; as, honesty is an abstract word.

Abstracted; absent in mind.

To withdraw; to separate; to take away.

To draw off in respect to interest or attention; as, his was wholly abstracted by other objects.

To separate, as ideas, by the operation of the mind; to consider by itself; to contemplate separately, as a quality or attribute.

To epitomize; to abridge.

To take secretly or dishonestly; to purloin; as, to abstract goods from a parcel, or money from a till.

To separate, as the more volatile or soluble parts of a substance, by distillation or other chemical processes. In this sense extract is now more generally used.

To perform the process of abstraction.

That which comprises or concentrates in itself the essential qualities of a larger thing or of several things. Specifically: A summary or an epitome, as of a treatise or book, or of a statement; a brief.

A state of separation from other things; as, to consider a subject in the abstract, or apart from other associated things.

An abstract term.

A powdered solid extract of a vegetable substance mixed with sugar of milk in such proportion that one part of the abstract represents two parts of the original substance.

A concept or idea not associated with any specific instance;

A sketchy summary of the main points of an argument or theory

Consider a concept without thinking of a specific example; consider abstractly or theoretically

Make off with belongings of others

Consider apart from a particular case or instance;

Give an abstract (of)

Existing only in the mind; separated from embodiment;

Not representing or imitating external reality or the objects of nature;

Based on specialized theory;

Dealing with a subject in the abstract without practical purpose or intention;

Abstract thinking allows for creativity, problem-solving, and the ability to understand complex concepts beyond the immediately tangible.

Abstract communication can enhance creativity and deeper understanding, while literal communication ensures clarity and precision.

Abstract refers to concepts that are not physically tangible and open to interpretation, while literal refers to direct and concrete interpretations of words or expressions.

While science is often literal, abstract thinking is crucial for forming hypotheses, theoretical models, and understanding complex systems.

Yes, language can include both abstract and literal elements, depending on context and the intent of the speaker or writer.

Abstract ideas can be communicated using literal language to clarify concepts, but they often require metaphor or analogy to fully convey their breadth.

Engaging with diverse artistic and philosophical content, practicing creative problem-solving, and discussing complex ideas can enhance abstract thinking skills.

Making plans for the future or analyzing the motives behind someone’s behavior involves abstract thinking.

Translators must balance preserving the original meaning (literal) and conveying the underlying implications or style (abstract).

Literal interpretation can lead to misunderstandings or miss deeper meanings, especially in metaphor-rich contexts like poetry or certain cultural expressions.

Neither is universally more valuable; their importance varies depending on the context and requirements of the situation.

Children develop literal thinking first, understanding direct and concrete information, and gradually develop abstract thinking as they mature.

Cultural background can influence whether communication is more abstract or literal, affecting how messages are interpreted.

Some may prefer abstract art for its ability to evoke personal interpretations and emotional responses, rather than depicting reality.

The choice between writing abstractly or literally depends on the purpose of the text and the audience’s needs and expectations.