Metaphor vs. Abstract — What's the Difference?

A literary tool to convey complex ideas

Not concrete or tangible

An implicit analogy to explain an idea

A summary of a research paper

A phrase depicting one object as another

Existing in thought, not having physical form

A metaphor is a figure of speech that, for rhetorical effect, directly refers to one thing by mentioning another. It may provide (or obscure) clarity or identify hidden similarities between two different ideas.

Considered apart from concrete existence

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable

Not applied or practical; theoretical.

A figure of speech in which a word or phrase that ordinarily designates one thing is used to designate another, thus making an implicit comparison, as in "a sea of troubles" or "All the world's a stage" (Shakespeare).

Difficult to understand; abstruse

One thing conceived as representing another; a symbol

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

The use of a word or phrase to refer to something other than its literal meaning, invoking an implicit similarity between the thing described and what is denoted by the word or phrase.

Impersonal, as in attitude or views.

A word or phrase used in such implied comparison.

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

The use of an everyday object or concept to represent an underlying facet of the computer and thus aid users in performing tasks.

A statement summarizing the important points of a text.

(intransitive) To use a metaphor.

Something abstract.

(transitive) To describe by means of a metaphor.

An abstract of title.

The transference of the relation between one set of objects to another set for the purpose of brief explanation; a compressed simile; e. g., the ship plows the sea.

To take away; remove

A figure of speech in which an expression is used to refer to something that it does not literally denote in order to suggest a similarity

To remove without permission; steal

A direct comparison without using "like" or "as"

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

Figurative language representing one thing as another

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

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

An abridgement or summary of a longer publication.

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

Concentrated essence of a product.

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

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

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

(arts) An abstract work of art.

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

(obsolete) Derived; extracted.

Drawn away; removed from; apart from; separate.

Not concrete: conceptual, ideal.

Insufficiently factual.

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;

Theoretical, not applied or practical

Philosophical idea of pure form

Yes, many metaphors express abstract ideas in a figurative way.

Abstract ideas themselves cannot be physically represented; they are understood mentally.

A metaphor is a figure of speech that describes an object or action in a way that isn’t literally true, but helps explain an idea or make a comparison.

Abstract refers to ideas or concepts that are not concrete or physical.

Yes, by definition, a metaphor implies a comparison between two unlike things.

Yes, metaphors often convey abstract concepts through tangible comparisons.

In academic contexts, an abstract is a summary of a paper or article.

Often, yes. Metaphors can make abstract concepts more relatable and easier to grasp.

Yes, visual metaphors use images to convey a comparison or idea.

While some metaphors are widely understood, their interpretation can vary across different cultures and languages.

Metaphors are often used to explain abstract concepts, but they use concrete imagery for this purpose.

In science, abstract concepts are often theoretical, while in art, they represent non-literal and non-representational ideas.

Metaphors are used to create more vivid and powerful expressions than literal language allows.

Yes, when used appropriately, metaphors can enhance even the most formal writing.

Abstract thoughts are intangible concepts, while abstract art visually represents ideas not found in the physical world.