120 Examples of Abstract Nouns

An abstract noun refers to things that are not concrete. They name concepts, ideas, emotions, and other things that cannot be touched or seen. Unlike concrete nouns, abstract nouns represent intangible items.

Here's a list with 120 examples of abstract nouns:

Emotions and Feelings

  • Admiration: A feeling of respect and approval.
  • Adoration: Deep love and respect.
  • Affection: A gentle feeling of fondness or liking.
  • Agony: Extreme physical or mental suffering.
  • Amusement: The state or experience of finding something funny.
  • Anger: A strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure, or hostility.
  • Anxiety: A feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease.
  • Apathy: Lack of interest, enthusiasm, or concern.
  • Appreciation: Recognition and enjoyment of the good qualities of someone or something.
  • Astonishment: Great surprise.
  • Awe: A feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear or wonder.
  • Bitterness: Sharpness of taste; lack of sweetness, or anger and disappointment at being treated unfairly.
  • Bliss: Perfect happiness; great joy.
  • Boredom: The state of feeling bored.
  • Compassion: Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.
  • Contentment: A state of happiness and satisfaction.
  • Despair: The complete loss or absence of hope.
  • Disgust: A feeling of revulsion or strong disapproval aroused by something unpleasant or offensive.
  • Ecstasy: An overwhelming feeling of great happiness or joyful excitement.
  • Empathy: The ability to understand and share the feelings of another.
  • Envy: A feeling of discontented or resentful longing aroused by someone else's possessions, qualities, or luck.
  • Euphoria: A feeling or state of intense excitement and happiness.
  • Fear: An unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat.
  • Frustration: The feeling of being upset or annoyed as a result of being unable to change or achieve something.
  • Gratitude: The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
  • Grief: Deep sorrow, especially caused by someone's death.
  • Guilt: The fact of having committed a specified or implied offense or crime.
  • Happiness: The state of being happy.
  • Hatred: Intense dislike or ill will.
  • Hope: A feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

States and Conditions

  • Ability: The possession of the means or skill to do something.
  • Absence: The state of being away from a place or person.
  • Beauty: A combination of qualities that pleases the aesthetic senses.
  • Bravery: Courageous behavior or character.
  • Chaos: Complete disorder and confusion.
  • Clarity: The quality of being coherent and intelligible.
  • Confidence: The feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.
  • Courage: The ability to do something that frightens one; bravery.
  • Curiosity: A strong desire to know or learn something.
  • Decay: The state or process of rotting or decomposition.
  • Dedication: The quality of being committed to a task or purpose.
  • Deprivation: The damaging lack of material benefits considered to be basic necessities.
  • Desperation: A state of despair, typically one that results in rash or extreme behavior.
  • Dignity: The state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect.
  • Disappointment: The feeling of sadness or displeasure caused by the non-fulfillment of one's hopes or expectations.
  • Distress: Extreme anxiety, sorrow, or pain.
  • Doubt: A feeling of uncertainty or lack of conviction.
  • Elegance: The quality of being graceful and stylish in appearance or manner.
  • Emptiness: The state of containing nothing.
  • Energy: The strength and vitality required for sustained physical or mental activity.
  • Equality: The state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities.
  • Existence: The fact or state of living or having objective reality.
  • Faith: Complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
  • Freedom: The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.
  • Friendship: A state of mutual trust and support between allied nations or individuals.
  • Generosity: The quality of being kind and generous.
  • Glory: High renown or honor won by notable achievements.
  • Grace: Simple elegance or refinement of movement.
  • Greed: Intense and selfish desire for something, especially wealth, power, or food.
  • Growth: The process of increasing in physical size.

Qualities and Characteristics

  • Ambition: A strong desire to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work.
  • Anger: A strong feeling of displeasure, hostility, or annoyance.
  • Brilliance: Exceptional intelligence, talent, or skill.
  • Calmness: The state or quality of being free from agitation or strong emotion.
  • Charm: The power or quality of delighting, attracting, or fascinating others.
  • Commitment: The state or quality of being dedicated to a cause or activity.
  • Compassion: Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others.
  • Confidence: The feeling or belief that one can rely on someone or something; firm trust.
  • Contentment: A state of happiness and satisfaction.
  • Creativity: The use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness.
  • Curiosity: A strong desire to know or learn something.
  • Dedication: The quality of being committed to a task or purpose.
  • Determination: Firmness of purpose; resoluteness.
  • Diligence: Careful and persistent work or effort.
  • Discretion: The quality of behaving or speaking in such a way as to avoid causing offense or revealing private information.
  • Enthusiasm: Intense and eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.
  • Excellence: The quality of being outstanding or extremely good.
  • Faith: Complete trust or confidence in someone or something.
  • Flexibility: The quality of bending easily without breaking; adaptability.
  • Forgiveness: The action or process of forgiving or being forgiven.
  • Generosity: The quality of being kind and generous.
  • Gratitude: The quality of being thankful; readiness to show appreciation for and to return kindness.
  • Honesty: The quality of being honest; truthfulness and integrity.
  • Humility: A modest or low view of one's own importance; humbleness.
  • Humor: The quality of being amusing or comic, especially as expressed in literature or speech.
  • Imagination: The faculty or action of forming new ideas, images, or concepts not present to the senses.
  • Integrity: The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.
  • Intelligence: The ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.
  • Joy: A feeling of great pleasure and happiness.
  • Justice: Just behavior or treatment; the quality of being fair and reasonable.

Concepts and Ideas

  • Achievement: Something accomplished, especially by superior ability, special effort, or great courage.
  • Artistry: Creative skill or ability in a particular artistic field.
  • Belief: An acceptance that something exists or is true, especially one without proof.
  • Belonging: An affinity for a place or situation.
  • Charity: The voluntary giving of help, typically in the form of money, to those in need.
  • Citizenship: The status of a person recognized under the law of a country as a legal member of that country.
  • Comfort: A state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint.
  • Communication: The imparting or exchanging of information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium.
  • Community: A group of people living in the same place or having a particular characteristic in common.
  • Compromise: An agreement or settlement of a dispute that is reached by each side making concessions.
  • Conscience: An inner feeling or voice acting as a guide to the rightness or wrongness of one's behavior.
  • Cooperation: The process of working together to the same end.
  • Courage: The ability to do something that frightens one; bravery.
  • Culture: The ideas, customs, and social behavior of a particular people or society.
  • Democracy: A system of government by the whole population, typically through elected representatives.
  • Determination: Firmness of purpose; resoluteness.
  • Diversity: The state of being diverse; variety.
  • Education: The process of receiving or giving systematic instruction, especially at a school or university.
  • Equality: The state of being equal, especially in status, rights, and opportunities.
  • Ethics: Moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an activity.
  • Fame: The state of being known or talked about by many people, especially on account of notable achievements.
  • Fate: The development of events beyond a person's control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power.
  • Forgiveness: The action or process of forgiving or being forgiven.
  • Freedom: The power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.
  • Friendship: A relationship of mutual affection between people.
  • Harmony: The combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes to produce chords and chord progressions having a pleasing effect.
  • Health: The state of being free from illness or injury.
  • Honor: High respect; esteem.
  • Hope: A feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.
  • Humanity: The quality of being humane; kindness.