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Synonyms

abs

1 American  
[abz] / æbz /

plural noun

Informal.

  1. abdominal muscles.

ABS 2 American  

  1. antilock braking system.

abs- 3 American  

  1. variant of ab-.

    absent; abscond.
abs. 4 American  

abbreviation

  1. absent.

  2. absolute.

  3. abstract.

A.B.S. 5 American  

abbreviation

  1. American Bible Society.

  2. American Bureau of Shipping.

ABS 1 British  

abbreviation

  1. acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene: any of a range of tough copolymers used esp for making moulded articles

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
abs 2 British  
/ æbz /

plural noun

  1. informal abdominal muscles

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of abs

An Americanism dating back to 1980–85; by shortening

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The 30-second spot features a young man in a park attempting pull-ups, who asks a muscular bystander about achieving six-pack abs.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 4, 2026

"Today the artists... give them six-pack abs and muscles."

From Barron's • Feb. 1, 2026

The 37-year-old American looked in incredible shape, with defined abs showing despite the extra weight he has carried for this potential history-making fight.

From BBC • Sep. 12, 2025

Murray wasn’t worried about baring his abs for the film — it was the dancing that terrified him.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 20, 2024

He said fasting messed up his carefully balanced diet of simply grilled chicken breasts and staring at his abs in the mirror.

From "A Very Large Expanse of Sea" by Tahereh Mafi

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.