abstruse / absurd
abstrus – abstruser – am abstrusesten
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abstruse / absurd
Confusing and difficult to understand, or far-fetched and nonsensical. The word often describes thoughts, ideas, theories, or lines of argument.
Der Vortrag war so abstrus, dass kaum jemand ihm folgen konnte.
The lecture was so abstruse that hardly anyone could follow it.
| basic form | abstrus |
|---|---|
| comparative | abstruser |
| superlative | am abstrusesten |
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -e | -e | -e | -en |
| acc. | -en | -e | -e | -en |
| dat. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
| gen. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Add the ending to abstrus.
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -er | -e | -es | -en |
| acc. | -en | -e | -es | -en |
| dat. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
| gen. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Add the ending to abstrus.
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -er | -e | -es | -e |
| acc. | -en | -e | -es | -e |
| dat. | -em | -er | -em | -en |
| gen. | -en | -er | -en | -er |
Add the ending to abstrus.
'Abstrus' (abstruse / absurd) is often used with thoughts, explanations, and lines of argument. Typical collocations include 'eine abstruse Theorie' (an abstruse theory), 'ein abstruser Gedankengang' (an abstruse train of thought), and 'eine abstruse Behauptung' (an absurd claim).
Seine abstruse Theorie überzeugte im Seminar niemanden.
His abstruse theory convinced no one in the seminar.
'Abstrus' (abstruse / absurd) does more than describe something as difficult; it usually also conveys a negative judgment: the speaker considers the content unusual, hard to follow, or implausible.
Die Begründung für diese Entscheidung klingt ziemlich abstrus.
The justification for this decision sounds quite absurd.
The word tends to belong to a more formal or academic register and appears particularly in discussions, reviews, and written texts.
In seinem Kommentar bezeichnete er den Plan als abstrus.
In his commentary, he described the plan as absurd.
