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Theoretical vs. Abstract — What's the Difference?

Theoretical vs. Abstract — What's the Difference?

Difference Between Theoretical and Abstract

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Theoretical

Concerned with or involving the theory of a subject or area of study rather than its practical application
The training is practical rather than theoretical
A theoretical physicist

Abstract

Considered apart from concrete existence
An abstract concept.

Theoretical

Of, relating to, or based on theory.

Abstract

Not applied or practical; theoretical.

Theoretical

Restricted to theory; not practical or applied
Theoretical physics.
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Abstract

Difficult to understand; abstruse
Abstract philosophical problems.

Theoretical

Studying or working to develop theory.

Abstract

Denoting something that is immaterial, conceptual, or nonspecific, as an idea or quality
Abstract words like truth and justice.

Theoretical

Of or relating to theory; abstract; not empirical.

Abstract

Impersonal, as in attitude or views.

Theoretical

Concerned primarily with theories or hypotheses rather than practical considerations;
Theoretical science

Abstract

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

Theoretical

Concerned with theories rather than their practical applications;
Theoretical physics

Abstract

A statement summarizing the important points of a text.

Theoretical

Based on specialized theory;
A theoretical analysis

Abstract

Something abstract.

Abstract

An abstract of title.

Abstract

To take away; remove
Abstract the most important data from a set of records.

Abstract

To remove without permission; steal
A painting that was abstracted from the museum.

Abstract

To consider (an idea, for example) as separate from particular examples or objects
Abstract a principle of arrangement from a series of items.

Abstract

(ăbstrăkt′) To write a summary of; summarize
Abstract a long article in a paragraph.

Abstract

To create artistic abstractions of (something else, such as a concrete object or another style)
"The Bauhaus Functionalists were ... busy unornamenting and abstracting modern architecture, painting and design" (John Barth).

Abstract

An abridgement or summary of a longer publication.

Abstract

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

Abstract

Concentrated essence of a product.

Abstract

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

Abstract

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

Abstract

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

Abstract

(arts) An abstract work of art.

Abstract

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

Abstract

(obsolete) Derived; extracted.

Abstract

Drawn away; removed from; apart from; separate.

Abstract

Not concrete: conceptual, ideal.
Her new film is an abstract piece, combining elements of magic realism, flashbacks, and animation but with very little in terms of plot construction.

Abstract

Insufficiently factual.

Abstract

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

Abstract

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

Abstract

Difficult to understand; abstruse; hard to conceptualize.
The politician gave a somewhat abstract answer when asked about their plans to cut spending.

Abstract

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

Abstract

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.

Abstract

(archaic) Absent-minded.

Abstract

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

Abstract

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

Abstract

(music) Absolute.

Abstract

(dance) Lacking a story.

Abstract

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

Abstract

(transitive) To separate; to disengage.

Abstract

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

Abstract

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

Abstract

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

Abstract

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.

Abstract

To extract by means of distillation.

Abstract

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

Abstract

To withdraw oneself; to retire.

Abstract

(transitive) To draw off (interest or attention).
He was wholly abstracted by other objects.

Abstract

To perform the process of abstraction.

Abstract

To create abstractions.

Abstract

To produce an abstraction, usually by refactoring existing code. Generally used with "out".
He abstracted out the square root function.

Abstract

Withdraw; separate.
The more abstract . . . we are from the body.

Abstract

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.

Abstract

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.
A concrete name is a name which stands for a thing; an abstract name which stands for an attribute of a thing. A practice has grown up in more modern times, which, if not introduced by Locke, has gained currency from his example, of applying the expression "abstract name" to all names which are the result of abstraction and generalization, and consequently to all general names, instead of confining it to the names of attributes.

Abstract

Abstracted; absent in mind.

Abstract

To withdraw; to separate; to take away.
He was incapable of forming any opinion or resolution abstracted from his own prejudices.

Abstract

To draw off in respect to interest or attention; as, his was wholly abstracted by other objects.
The young stranger had been abstracted and silent.

Abstract

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

Abstract

To epitomize; to abridge.

Abstract

To take secretly or dishonestly; to purloin; as, to abstract goods from a parcel, or money from a till.
Von Rosen had quietly abstracted the bearing-reins from the harness.

Abstract

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.

Abstract

To perform the process of abstraction.
I own myself able to abstract in one sense.

Abstract

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.
An abstract of every treatise he had read.
Man, the abstractOf all perfection, which the workmanshipOf Heaven hath modeled.

Abstract

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

Abstract

An abstract term.
The concretes "father" and "son" have, or might have, the abstracts "paternity" and "filiety."

Abstract

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.

Abstract

A concept or idea not associated with any specific instance;
He loved her only in the abstract--not in person

Abstract

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

Abstract

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

Abstract

Make off with belongings of others

Abstract

Consider apart from a particular case or instance;
Let's abstract away from this particular example

Abstract

Give an abstract (of)

Abstract

Existing only in the mind; separated from embodiment;
Abstract words like `truth' and `justice'

Abstract

Not representing or imitating external reality or the objects of nature;
A large abstract painting

Abstract

Based on specialized theory;
A theoretical analysis

Abstract

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

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