Abstractly vs. Abstractedly: Meaning and Uses in a Sentence

Abstractly means pulled away from the physical, concrete, sensory world. Not apart from concrete existence.

Abstractedly means distracted—not paying attention because your mind if focused on something else. 

These two words look like they should mean the same thing, but although they are both adverbs (ending in -ly) and they are made of the same roots (–ab, meaning “away from” and -tract- meaning “pull”), they have different meanings.

Abstract is a noun or adjective describing something “pulled away from” the physical, concrete, sensory world. Most simply, abstract describes anything that you cannot see, hear, touch, taste, or smell, especially if it is difficult to define, such as the mind, language, spirit, or philosophical ideas.

But you can talk about anything in an abstract way – abstractly – without concrete detail. If for example, I say, This book concerns the existential problems of modern humanity . . . ", I described the book abstractly.

If I say, "This book concerns a 30-year-old man who lives in New Orleans," that is not described abstractly.

Abstractedly, also an adverb, describes a more general manner, in which a person can behave. Abstracted means “pulled away from the concrete,” so abstractedly describes behavior performed in a “distant” manner, such as when you ask somebody a question and, without looking at you, they reply “uh-huh”; we could say:

They replied abstractedly (meaning their attention was on something else).

To summarize, abstractly refers to the way we describe something, without concrete detail, while abstractedly refers to distracted or “distant” behavior. 

More Examples of How to Use Abstractedly in a Sentence

1. He looked abstractedly at the painting, knowing he would never be the artist he wanted to be.
2. She had an abstractedly happy expression on her face, but her eyes reflected sadness.
3. She stared off into the distance, abstractedly and sad.
4. She was sitting on the floor, drawing with her hands abstractedly in the air.
5. He turned to look at her, his eyes narrowing as he watched her abstractedly.
6. I looked abstractedly at the sky, trying to find my own constellation.
7. When he looked at me, I raised an eyebrow in response, then turned away in a businesslike manner, abstractedly…..
8. The director walked in abstractedly, barely noticing the people in the room.
9. I glanced abstractedly at the message for a moment before turning off the phone.
10. Alyss looked abstractedly out the window, wondering if she would get the final grades she needed.
11. Abstractedly, she pulled out her phone and checked the time.
12. She stared abstractedly at the TV while she waited, not hearing anything that was being said.
13. She looked at him with her head abstractedly resting on her hand.
14. She wanted to have children with him, but he was too abstractedly focused on his business career.
15. The man walked abstractedly along the sidewalk as he was lost in thought.
16. She turned to him with an abstractedly pensive expression as he walked in.
17. He stared abstractedly at the pile of paper on his desk as he thought of what to do.
18. He looked abstractedly at her but was lost in his own thoughts and didn't register her words.
19. Her brown hair was flowing in the wind as she abstractedly walked on the beach
20. The noise of the party had disappeared as the old man abstractedly walked down the hallway
21. Olivia was abstractedly chewing on her thumb nail when her phone rang.
22. I licked my finger and moved it abstractedly between the wet pages of the book.
23. The professor spoke abstractedly about the origins of the universe.

More Examples of How to Use Abstractly in a Sentence

1. An abstract can be a summary of a work of art, a person, a place, a text, or an idea.
2. She was reflecting on her life's work as an abstract artist.
3. Abstractly speaking, the house was elegant.
4. I felt abstractly guilty for not volunteering at the soup kitchen (i.e., I had an abstract guilt)
5. He was a man of few words and he often used abstractions in his speech.
6. The abstractly designed artwork was beautiful.
7. The artist took a step back and viewed the painting from a distance. The abstractly drawn picture of a horse on a field was emotionally powerfull.
8. It is better to be abstractly aware of the problem than to not know that a problem exists in the first place.
9. Knowing abstractly what to do in this scenario would take some time to learn.
10. It is a modern painting, abstractly portraying its subject.
11. I attempted to abstractly convey the feeling of pain in my painting.
12. Abstractly creative people are always changing their minds about things.
13. The abstractly shaded runes are barely visible against the dark wall, but are still capable of being read.
14. She looked at him, her eyes sad and abstractly empty.
15. Ironically, the more abstract the abstractions became, the more clearly the subject seemed to take shape in my mind.
16. Abstractly, I know that it's important to be economical, but I would rather not.