List of Abstract Nouns

Abstract nouns name ideas, qualities, or emotions – things that cannot be seen or touched. The table below lists words (nouns, verbs, or adjectives) alongside their corresponding abstract nouns.

Noun	Abstract Noun
child	childhood
adult	adulthood
man	manhood
woman	womanhood
boy	boyhood
girl	girlhood
maiden	maidenhood
parent	parenthood
mother	motherhood
father	fatherhood
brother	brotherhood
sister	sisterhood
friend	friendship
companion	companionship
comrade	comradeship
partner	partnership
member	membership
owner	ownership
leader	leadership
fellow	fellowship
author	authorship
scholar	scholarship
professor	professorship
censor	censorship
citizen	citizenship
statesman	statesmanship
guardian	guardianship
steward	stewardship
sponsor	sponsorship
editor	editorship
judge	judgeship
clerk	clerkship
pilot	pilotage
tutor	tutorship
apprentice	apprenticeship
intern	internship
craftsman	craftsmanship
workman	workmanship
sportsman	sportsmanship
seaman	seamanship
owner	ownership
neighbor	neighborhood
widow	widowhood
widower	widowerhood
bachelor	bachelorhood
spinster	spinsterhood
orphan	orphanhood
king	kingship
queen	queenship
lord	lordship
knight	knighthood
saint	sainthood
martyr	martyrdom
prince	princedom
earl	earldom
duke	dukedom
bishop	bishopric
abbot	abbacy
pope	papacy
emperor	emperorship
tsar	tsardom
sultan	sultanate
sheikh	sheikhdom
mayor	mayoralty
governor	governorship
captain	captaincy
chairman	chairmanship
prophet	prophethood
priest	priesthood
monk	monkhood
patriot	patriotism
hero	heroism
coward	cowardice
villain	villainy
rogue	roguery
slave	slavery
serf	serfdom
vassal	vassalage
peasant	peasantry
peer	peerage
traitor	treason
thief	thievery
burglar	burglary
beggar	beggary
artist	artistry
poet	poetry
surgeon	surgery
merchant (as a class)	merchantry
courtier (as a class)	courtiery
champion	championship
monarch	monarchy
patron	patronage
agent	agency
constable	constabulary

Verb	Abstract Noun
act	action
add	addition
admire	admiration
admit	admission
advance	advancement
advise	advice
agree	agreement
allow	allowance
amaze	amazement
amuse	amusement
analyze	analysis
announce	announcement
annoy	annoyance
answer	answer
apologize	apology
appear	appearance
apply	application
appoint	appointment
approve	approval
argue	argument
arise	arising
arrange	arrangement
arrive	arrival
assess	assessment
assist	assistance
assume	assumption
attend	attendance
attract	attraction
authorize	authorization
avoid	avoidance
believe	belief
belong	belonging
betray	betrayal
break	breakage
bury	burial
calculate	calculation
care	care
celebrate	celebration
choose	choice
collide	collision
combine	combination
comfort	comfort
communicate	communication
compare	comparison
compete	competition
complain	complaint
complete	completion
compose	composition
comprehend	comprehension
conclude	conclusion
confuse	confusion
connect	connection
conquer	conquest
consider	consideration
construct	construction
consult	consultation
contain	containment
continue	continuation
cooperate	cooperation
correct	correction
create	creation
criticize	criticism
decide	decision
declare	declaration
decrease	decrease
defend	defense/defence
define	definition
delay	delay
deliver	delivery
deny	denial
depend	dependence/dependency
describe	description
desire	desire
destroy	destruction
develop	development
differ	difference
digest	digestion
direct	direction
disappear	disappearance
discover	discovery
discuss	discussion
dismiss	dismissal
display	display
disturb	disturbance
divide	division
educate	education
elect	election
employ	employment
empower	empowerment
encourage	encouragement
end	ending
endure	endurance
enforce	enforcement
enjoy	enjoyment
enquire	enquiry/inquiry
ensure	assurance/ensurance (assurance is usual)
enter	entry
entertain	entertainment
escape	escape
establish	establishment
evaluate	evaluation
examine	examination
excel	excellence
exchange	exchange
exclude	exclusion
excuse	excuse
exist	existence
expand	expansion
expect	expectation
explain	explanation
explode	explosion
express	expression
extend	extension
fail	failure
favor	favor/favour
fear	fear
feel	feeling
find	finding
forgive	forgiveness
form	formation
govern	government
grow	growth
guide	guidance
hate	hatred
help	help
hesitate	hesitation
hinder	hindrance
hope	hope
identify	identification
ignore	ignorance
imagine	imagination
immigrate	immigration
improve	improvement
include	inclusion
increase	increase
indicate	indication
influence	influence
inform	information
inherit	inheritance
innovate	innovation
insist	insistence
inspect	inspection
inspire	inspiration
instruct	instruction
insure	insurance
integrate	integration
intend	intention
interact	interaction
interfere	interference
interpret	interpretation
introduce	introduction
invent	invention
invest	investment
investigate	investigation
invite	invitation
involve	involvement
judge	judgment/judgement
know	knowledge
laugh	laughter
lead	leadership
learn	learning
legalize	legalization
legislate	legislation
liberate	liberation
license	licensure/licensing
live	life/living
locate	location
lose	loss
love	love
manage	management
marry	marriage
measure	measurement
mediate	mediation
memorize	memorization
mention	mention
migrate	migration
mix	mixture
modernize	modernization
modify	modification
motivate	motivation
move	movement
neglect	negligence/neglect
negotiate	negotiation
obey	obedience
object	objection
observe	observation
obtain	obtaining/obtainment (rare; “obtaining” more natural)
occupy	occupation
occur	occurrence
offend	offense/offence
operate	operation
oppose	opposition
oppress	oppression
organize	organization
originate	origin/origination
own	ownership
participate	participation
perceive	perception
perform	performance
permit	permission
persuade	persuasion
plan	planning/plan
please	pleasure
pollute	pollution
possess	possession
postpone	postponement
pour	pouring
prepare	preparation
present	presentation
prevent	prevention
produce	production
progress	progression/progress
prohibit	prohibition
promise	promise
promote	promotion
propose	proposal
protect	protection
prove	proof
provide	provision
punish	punishment
qualify	qualification
question	question
react	reaction
read	reading
realize	realization
reason	reasoning
receive	reception/receipt
recommend	recommendation
record	record/recording
recover	recovery
recruit	recruitment
reduce	reduction
refer	reference
reflect	reflection
reform	reform/reformation
refuse	refusal
regard	regard
regulate	regulation
rehearse	rehearsal
reject	rejection
relate	relation/relationship
relax	relaxation
release	release
rely	reliance
remark	remark
remember	remembrance/memory
remove	removal
renew	renewal
repair	repair
repeat	repetition
replace	replacement
reply	reply
report	report
represent	representation
reproduce	reproduction
request	request
require	requirement
research	research
resist	resistance
resolve	resolution
respect	respect
respond	response
restore	restoration
restrict	restriction
result	result
retain	retention
retire	retirement
reveal	revelation
revise	revision
revolt	revolution/revolt
reward	reward
rule	rule/ruling
save	saving/salvation (contextual)
say	saying
see	sight/seeing
select	selection
sell	sale
send	sending
separate	separation
serve	service
settle	settlement
shorten	shortening
signify	signification
sing	song/singing
speak	speech
specialize	specialization
spend	spending
spoil	spoilage
sponsor	sponsorship
standardize	standardization
start	start/starting
state	statement
steer	steering
strengthen	strengthening
study	study
succeed	success
suggest	suggestion
supervise	supervision
supply	supply
support	support
suppose	supposition
survive	survival
suspect	suspicion
teach	teaching
think	thought
train	training
translate	translation
transport	transport/transportation
travel	travel/traveling
treat	treatment
try	trial/attempt
unite	union/unity
update	update
upgrade	upgrade
use	use/usage
value	valuation/value
vary	variation
view	view/viewing
visit	visit/visitation
vote	vote/voting
warn	warning
win	victory/win
withdraw	withdrawal
work	work/working
write	writing
yield	yield/yielding

Adjective	Abstract Noun
able	ability
abnormal	abnormality
abundant	abundance
accurate	accuracy
active	activity
actual	actuality
acute	acuteness
adaptable	adaptability
adequate	adequacy
admirable	admirability
adult	adulthood
agile	agility
agreeable	agreeableness
alert	alertness
alive	aliveness/vitality
ambitious	ambition
amicable	amicability/amicableness
angry	anger
anxious	anxiety
apparent	apparentness
applicable	applicability
appropriate	appropriateness
arrogant	arrogance
attentive	attentiveness
authentic	authenticity
available	availability
aware	awareness
awkward	awkwardness
bad	badness
basic	basicity/basicality (contextual)
beautiful	beauty
beneficial	benefit
better (good)	goodness
big	bigness
bitter	bitterness
blunt	bluntness
bold	boldness
brave	bravery
broad	breadth
brutal	brutality
busy	business
capable	capability
certain	certainty
charitable	charitableness/charity
cheap	cheapness
cheerful	cheerfulness
clear	clarity/clearness
clever	cleverness
close	closeness
coherent	coherence
cold	coldness
comfortable	comfort/comfortableness
common	commonness
competent	competence
competitive	competitiveness
complete	completeness
complex	complexity
confident	confidence
conscientious	conscientiousness
conscious	consciousness
considerate	considerateness/consideration
consistent	consistency
constant	constancy
convenient	convenience
correct	correctness
courageous	courage
courteous	courtesy
creative	creativity
credible	credibility
cruel	cruelty
curious	curiosity
dark	darkness
deep	depth
deft	deftness
delicate	delicacy
dependent	dependence/dependency
desirable	desirability
different	difference
difficult	difficulty
diligent	diligence
direct	directness
distant	distance
distinct	distinctness/distinction
docile	docility
efficient	efficiency
elegant	elegance
eligible	eligibility
eloquent	eloquence
empty	emptiness
equal	equality
essential	essence/essentiality
ethical	ethics
evident	evidence
exact	exactness/exactitude
excellent	excellence
exclusive	exclusivity
explicit	explicitness
extreme	extremity
fair	fairness
faithful	faithfulness
familiar	familiarity
famous	fame
fast	speed/fastness
feasible	feasibility
fertile	fertility
flexible	flexibility
fluent	fluency
foolish	foolishness
formal	formality
free	freedom
frequent	frequency
friendly	friendliness
futile	futility
generous	generosity
gentle	gentleness
genuine	genuineness
good	goodness
gradual	gradualness/graduality
grateful	gratitude
great	greatness
guilty	guilt
happy	happiness
hard	hardness
harsh	harshness
healthy	health
helpful	helpfulness
honest	honesty
honorable	honor/honour
hostile	hostility
hot	heat/hotness
humble	humility
hungry	hunger
ignorant	ignorance
illegal	illegality
illiterate	illiteracy
immediate	immediacy
impatient	impatience
impolite	impoliteness
important	importance
impossible	impossibility
impure	impurity
inaccurate	inaccuracy
inadequate	inadequacy
inappropriate	inappropriateness
inactive	inactivity
inaudible	inaudibility
inconvenient	inconvenience
independent	independence
indifferent	indifference
inefficient	inefficiency
inevitable	inevitability
inexperienced	inexperience
inexpensive	inexpensiveness
informal	informality
innocent	innocence
insecure	insecurity
insensitive	insensitivity
insignificant	insignificance
insolent	insolence
instant	instantaneity/immediacy
intelligent	intelligence
intense	intensity
interesting	interest/interestingness
intolerant	intolerance
intimate	intimacy
invalid	invalidity
invisible	invisibility
jealous	jealousy
just	justice
keen	keenness
kind	kindness
large	largeness
late	lateness
lawful	lawfulness
lazy	laziness
legal	legality
legitimate	legitimacy
liable	liability
liberal	liberality/liberalism (context)
light (not heavy)	lightness
logical	logic/logicality
lonely	loneliness
long	length
loyal	loyalty
lucid	lucidity
lucky	luck
mature	maturity
maximum	maximality
mean	meanness
merciful	mercy
mild	mildness
mobile	mobility
modest	modesty
moral	morality
narrow	narrowness
national	nationality
natural	nature/naturality
necessary	necessity
neutral	neutrality
new	newness/novelty
normal	normality/normalcy
obedient	obedience
objective	objectivity
obscure	obscurity
obvious	obviousness
odd	oddity
offensive	offensiveness/offense
official	officialdom/officialness
old	oldness/age
open	openness
optional	optionality
original	originality
painful	pain/painfulness
passive	passivity
patient	patience
peaceful	peace/peacefulness
perfect	perfection
personal	personality/personhood (context)
plain	plainness
pleasant	pleasantness
polite	politeness
popular	popularity
possible	possibility
practical	practicality
precise	precision
pregnant	pregnancy
present	presence
private	privacy
probable	probability
productive	productivity
profound	profundity
proud	pride
pure	purity
quick	quickness
quiet	quietness/quietude
random	randomness
rapid	rapidity
rational	rationality
ready	readiness
real	reality
reasonable	reasonableness
recent	recency
relevant	relevance
reluctant	reluctance
remarkable	remarkableness
remote	remoteness
responsible	responsibility
rich	richness/wealth
rigid	rigidity
romantic	romanticism/romance (context)
rough	roughness
rude	rudeness
safe	safety
sane	sanity
scarce	scarcity
secure	security
sensible	sensibility/sensibleness
sensitive	sensitivity
serious	seriousness
severe	severity
shallow	shallowness
short	shortness
shy	shyness
silent	silence
similar	similarity
simple	simplicity
sincere	sincerity
single	singleness/singularity (context)
skilful/skillful	skill/skillfulness
slender	slenderness
slow	slowness
small	smallness
smart	smartness
smooth	smoothness
sober	sobriety
social	sociability/sociality (context)
soft	softness
solid	solidity
special	specialty/specialness
stable	stability
standard	standardness/normality (context)
steep	steepness
sterile	sterility
stiff	stiffness
straight	straightness
strange	strangeness
strong	strength
stupid	stupidity
subtle	subtlety
sufficient	sufficiency
superior	superiority
sure	sureness/surety (legal)
swift	swiftness
tall	tallness/height (context)
tender	tenderness
tense	tension
thin	thinness
thorough	thoroughness
thoughtful	thoughtfulness
tidy	tidiness
tight	tightness
timid	timidity
tolerant	tolerance
tough	toughness
transparent	transparency
true	truth
ugly	ugliness
uncertain	uncertainty
unequal	inequality
unfair	unfairness
unhappy	unhappiness
unique	uniqueness
unjust	injustice
universal	universality
unknown	unknown/obscurity (context)
unstable	instability
unusual	unusualness
useful	usefulness/utility
useless	uselessness
valid	validity
valuable	value/valuableness (rare)
various	variety
verbal	verbality/verbalism (rare; context)
viable	viability
violent	violence
visible	visibility
vital	vitality
warm	warmth
weak	weakness
wealthy	wealth
welcome	welcomeness/welcome
wet	wetness
wide	width
wild	wildness
wise	wisdom
young	youth