abstract thought

noun phrase

Meaning

The ability to process ideas, concepts, and relationships that are not physically present or directly observable.

Examples

Mathematics relies heavily on abstract thought to manipulate numbers and symbols that represent reality.
Children begin to develop abstract thought as they move from concrete play to hypothetical reasoning.

Synonyms: conceptualization, theoretical reasoning, higher-order thinking, speculation

Learn English that separates you from the crowd with Anaversity: private classes, Ani practice, Campus tools, and a public English-learning community.

abstract thought

noun phrase

Pronunciation: /ˈæbstrækt θɔːt/

Definition

The ability to process ideas, concepts, and relationships that are not physically present or directly observable.

Examples

Mathematics relies heavily on abstract thought to manipulate numbers and symbols that represent reality.
Children begin to develop abstract thought as they move from concrete play to hypothetical reasoning.
Philosophy is the ultimate exercise in abstract thought, challenging us to define existence itself.

Synonyms of abstract thought

Words with a similar meaning to abstract thought:

Antonyms of abstract thought

Words with the opposite meaning to abstract thought:

concrete thinking

Browse the full Anaversity dictionary