tangible

1 of 2

adjective

tan·gi·ble �?tan-jə-bəl

Synonyms of tangible next

: capable of being perceived especially by the sense of touch : palpable

: substantially real : material

: capable of being precisely identified or realized by the mind

her grief was tangible

: capable of being appraised at an actual or approximate value

tangible assets

tangibility

ˌtan-jə-�?bi-lə-tē

noun

tangibleness

�?tan-jə-bəl-nəs

noun

tangibly

�?tan-jə-blē

adverb

tangible

2 of 2

noun

tan·gi·ble �?tan-jə-bəl

: something that is tangible (see tangible entry 1)

especially : an asset capable of being appraised at an actual or approximate value

Did you know?

Something that's literally tangible can be touched. A rock is tangible, and so is a broken window; if the rock is lying next to the window, it could be tangible evidence of vandalism. When we say that the tension in a room is tangible, we mean we feel it so strongly that it seems almost physical. But if we're being literal, tension, like hope, happiness, and hunger, is literally intangible—it may be real, but it can't be touched. When lawyers talk about an intangible asset, they might mean something like a company's good reputation—very valuable, but not quite touchable.

Choose the Right Synonym for tangible

perceptible, sensible, palpable, tangible, appreciable, ponderable mean apprehensible as real or existent.

perceptible applies to what can be discerned by the senses often to a minimal extent.

a perceptible difference in sound to a careful listener

sensible applies to whatever is clearly apprehended through the senses or impresses itself strongly on the mind.

an abrupt, sensible drop in temperature

palpable applies either to what has physical substance or to what is obvious and unmistakable.

the tension in the air was almost palpable

tangible suggests what is capable of being handled or grasped both physically and mentally.

no tangible evidence of UFOs

appreciable applies to what is distinctly discernible by the senses or definitely measurable.

an appreciable increase in income

ponderable suggests having definitely measurable weight or importance.

exerted a ponderable influence on world events

Example Sentences

Adjective These days, an environmentally conscious motorist can walk into a Toyota or Honda dealer and snap up an efficient gasoline-electric hybrid, but the omega point of green driving—the pollution-free hydrogen fuel cell vehicle—is so elusive that one wonders if it will ever become tangible. —

Brad Lemley, Discover, October 2002

Piniella has no interest in casino gambling, but the horses and the stock market have fascinated him because, he discovered, the payoff is in the satisfaction of doping out the winner as much as it is in the tangible reward. —

Frank Deford, Sports Illustrated, 19 Mar. 2001

This barbed wire, this flattened earth opposite Louie's bestrewn yard, served as a tangible reminder that I was an outsider looking in … —

Julie Matheson, Geographical Review, January-April 2001

Traveling alone does have tangible drawbacks: One of the biggest is cost. Taking a trip alone is normally more expensive for one than for half of a pair. —

Betsy Wade, New York Times, 20 July 1997

There is no tangible evidence to support her claim. Their sense of relief was almost tangible. Noun In this agora, the price of what you buy and sell need bear no implacable relationship to any tangibles. —

Jodie Allen, New Republic, 5 June 2000

The nightly highlight packages confront old-timers with videotaped evidence that they didn't have the same tangibles as today's NBA players. —

Alexander Wolff, Sports Illustrated Classic, Fall 1991

They were betting that inflation would drive prices much higher. The smart speculator could then sell the commodities or other tangibles, repay the loans, and reap a quick profit. —

William Greider, New Yorker, 9 Nov. 1987

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

By contrast, his goal is for donors to see their car make a tangible difference in someone’s life. —

BostonGlobe.com, 27 Jan. 2023 These realms encompass the tangible, essential assets needed to support the delivery of health care; in the words of the late Paul Farmer, staff, space, stuff, and systems. —

Walter J. O’donnell, STAT, 28 Nov. 2022 The new mandate was modeled after a similar requirement in Mississippi’s 2016 updated literacy bill — one that’s making a tangible difference in the Magnolia State's classrooms, Burk said. —

Mandy Mclaren, courier-journal.com, 19 Oct. 2022 Some collectors saw tangible assets as a more stable financial investment than their digital analogs. —

Jake Traylor, NBC News, 15 Oct. 2022 Shifting the dial on these enablers will help prevent burnout (pdf) in your workforce, slowing the revolving door of talent and making a significant, tangible difference in engagement and performance. —

Dr. Janet Ahn And Tessa West, Quartz, 12 Oct. 2022 About 80% of investors aged 21 to 42 have invested in alternative investments including commodities, real estate, cryptocurrencies, private equity, and other tangible assets. —

Will Daniel, Fortune, 12 Oct. 2022 And while there’s still a long way to go, tangible progress is being made for offshore sailing to become a viable career path for women. —

Sinéad O’sullivan, Vogue, 5 Jan. 2023 The tangible progress referenced by Silas pregame isn't reflected in the standings or advanced metrics thus far. —

Michael Shapiro, Chron, 2 Jan. 2023

Noun

Tokenization of any asset tends to inherit a large amount of benefits such as making the respective asset tangible, and the same goes for data. —

Philipp Sandner, Forbes, 6 July 2021 For Americans living in cities like New York, the reality of the pandemic has been obvious since March, when round-the-clock sirens and nightly cheers for healthcare workers made the virus’s impact tangible even for those who escaped infection. —

Katie Palmer, Quartz, 11 Dec. 2020 After battling plantar fasciitis in 2019, a 14-hit, two-homer postseason gave him more tangibles to bring into free agency. —

Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 5 Nov. 2019 Managing a bullpen effectively is equal parts tangibles and gut. —

Paul Daugherty, Cincinnati.com, 4 June 2019 In terms of tangibles, the guy who departed hitting .241 in 83 at-bats figures to have minimal impact on a feast-or-famine offense that struggles to manufacture runs. —

David Haugh, chicagotribune.com, 30 July 2019 Far more important is the subjective feel of a tire, as well as other tangibles like noise, road harshness and, of course, price. —

Mike Allen, Popular Mechanics, 16 July 2010 Wagner brings plenty of tangibles to the table for NBA teams to consider. —

Tim Hackett, SI.com, 12 June 2018 Despite these aforementioned tangibles being in place, Roberto Baggio still missed his spot kick. —

SI.com, 13 May 2018 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tangible.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.