Abstract Noun: Formation, Definition, and Examples

Abstract Noun: Formation, Definition, and Examples are important topics in English Grammar. This article will help to understand Abstract Noun: Formation, Definition, and Examples.

An Abstract noun is usually the name of a quality, action, or state considered apart from the object to which it belongs. As,

Quality: goodness, kindness, darkness, hardness, brightness, honesty, wisdom, bravery.

Action: Laughter, theft, movement, judgment, hatred.

State: childhood, boyhood, slavery, youth, poverty, sickness.

What is Abstract Noun

An Abstract Noun is a Noun that names things that we cannot see, smell, touch, or taste. It can be an idea (thought), an experience (pain), a quality (kindness), or a feeling (happiness).

Read more:

Know about Nouns and Types

Quiz on nouns

Abstract Nouns examples in sentences

• (1) Honesty is the best policy.
• (2) Kindness is a great virtue.
• (3) He is very meritorious from his childhood.
• (4) Lean freedom is better than fat slavery.
• (5) I want obedience from you.

Uses of Abstract Nouns.

(a) Generally, all nouns ending in  -ness, -tion, -hood, -ship, -dom, -ment, -ism, -th,  -ty, -ce, -cy, are Abstract Noun: goodness, kindness,  education, childhood, friendship, Kingdom, attachment, Gandhism, strength, cruelty, justice, infancy, etc.

(b) Names of sciences, arts, and diseases are now treated as Abstract Nouns: music, politics, grammar, malaria, etc but when different kinds or attacks of a disease are meant they become Common Nouns.

 Thus, I had one of my headaches. Fevers are generally preceded by chills or rigor.

(c ) An Abstract Noun becomes a proper noun when it is personified,-that is when it is spoken of as an individual person. It must be then written with a capital letter as proper nouns are: Let not ambition mock their useful toil.

(d) An Abstract Noun becomes a common noun when they are particularised: They praised the honesty of the boy. He committed theft.

(e ) An abstract noun becomes a common noun when the objects possess the quality instead of the quality itself: He is a justice(judge) of the High Court. She is a beauty.(a beautiful lady.) This use of the abstract noun is known as Abstract for Concrete.

Formation of Abstract Nouns

Generally, all nouns ending in -ness, -tion, –hood, –ship, –dom, –ment, –ism, –th, –ty, –ce, –cy, are Abstract Noun: Abstract Noun Formation can be made from Adjectives, Verbs, and Common Nouns. Some Examples of the formation of Abstract Nouns from Adjectives, verbs, and Common Nouns are added in the following.[ -ness , -tion, -hood, -ship, -dom, -ment, -ism, -th, -ty, -ce, -cy, ]

Adjectives To Abstract Nouns

Abstract Nouns formed from the following Adjectives.

Verbs to Abstract Nouns

Abstract nouns formed from the following Verbs.

Common Nouns to Abstract Nouns

Abstract Nouns are formed from the following Common Nouns. 

Read more about Nouns: