What are abstract nouns?

What is an abstract noun?

Abstract nouns are nouns that describe intangible things or objects. If you’re describing a thing that isn’t a material object, it’s an abstract noun.¹ So, if you can’t touch, smell, taste, hear, or see it, it’s an abstract noun. Ideas, personality traits, human qualities, concepts, and emotions are examples of abstract nouns.

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Abstract noun examples

To get a better idea of what abstract nouns are, here are some examples of common abstract nouns.

Abstract nouns that express ideas and concepts

• Government
• Peace
• Faith
• Luck
• Luxury
• Wealth
• Justice

Abstract ideas that express personality traits or human qualities

• Bravery
• Beauty
• Evil
• Intelligence
• Stupidity
• Compassion
• Aggression

Abstract ideas that express emotions

• Anger
• Happiness
• Joy
• Grief
• Anxiety
• Love
• Fear

Abstract nouns used in a sentence

You probably use abstract nouns in your sentences every day, but here are some examples of them in a sentence.

People lost faith in banks during the Great Depression.

“Faith” is the abstract noun in the sentence above because it is a strong trust or belief that you cannot detect with the five senses.

There is a rumor going around that the town mayor will step down soon.

“Rumor” is the abstract noun in the sentence above since it is an intangible noun.

We were late because we lost track of time.

“Time” is the abstract noun in the sentence above because you cannot touch, smell, taste, feel, or see time. Time is a concept.

Many Americans are losing trust in the government.

Organizations like the government are abstract nouns since they are intangible.

Our friendship has helped me through some extremely difficult times.

Relationships, like friendship or marriage, are abstract nouns as they are intangible.

Types of abstract nouns

There are different types of abstract nouns—they can be either countable or uncountable.

Uncountable abstract nouns have a more general meaning, while countable abstract nouns are more specific. Countable abstract nouns require the use of an article before the noun and can often literally be counted (for example, the word idea is a countable abstract noun—you can count one idea, two ideas, three ideas, etc.).

Let’s use the abstract noun time to show the difference between uncountable and countable abstract nouns. See if you can guess which sentence uses a countable versus uncountable noun:

• Time slows down when you’re bored.
• I had an amazing time at the wedding.

The first sentence uses an uncountable noun since it refers to time in general. The second sentence uses a countable abstract noun since it refers to a specific time.

While there are all kinds of nouns, abstract ones are certainly very popular. You’re on the right track to becoming a better writer now that you know how to use and identify abstract nouns.

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