intangible

intangible — adjective

1. describes something that has no physical form, so it cannot be touched, held, or

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes something that has no physical form, so it cannot be touched, held, or measured precisely — for example, a feeling, an idea, or the value of a person's reputation.

Example

The trust between Karim and his partner was an intangible quality money could not buy.

intangible quality — describing a non-physical personal attribute

Élise felt a deep sense of joy that was real but completely intangible.

Common collocations
  • intangible quality
  • intangible asset
  • intangible factor
  • intangible feeling
  • intangible value
Synonyms
  • abstract

    more common in academic writing; 'intangible' also implies something cannot be measured or valued

  • immaterial

    more formal; often used in legal or philosophical contexts to mean 'without physical substance'

  • imperceptible

    narrower; describes something that exists physically but is too faint or gradual to be noticed

Antonyms
  • tangible

    the direct opposite; something that can be touched and measured

  • concrete

    emphasises definiteness and physical reality

Grammar Patterns

intangible + noun

be + intangible

remain + intangible

Usage Note

Often used in the phrase 'intangible assets' in business contexts. The comparative form 'more intangible' is rare — use 'less tangible' instead.

Common Mistakes

This idea is very intangible for me.
This idea is too abstract for me.
'intangible' describes things without physical form or exact measure, not things that are merely difficult to understand.

intangible — noun

Word family

  • intangibility
    nounC1
  • intangibly
    adverbC1
  • tangible
    adjectiveB2
  • tangibility
    nounC1
  • tangibly
    adverbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe things that cannot be touched or physically perceived, but they differ in scope and use. Intangible is the broadest, covering anything without physical form — feelings, ideas, or business assets ('the intangible value of a brand name'). Abstract specifically refers to ideas or concepts that exist only in thought, not in physical reality ('an abstract concept like justice'). Immaterial is a formal or legal term for something having no physical substance ('immaterial assets' in law) and also carries the meaning of 'not relevant' in a separate usage. Imperceptible is narrower, describing something that exists physically but is too small, faint, or gradual to be noticed ('an imperceptible change in temperature'). In everyday language, intangible is the most versatile; abstract is most common in academic writing; immaterial appears mostly in formal documents; and imperceptible is reserved for physical phenomena.

intangible ↗abstract ↗immaterialimperceptible ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • intangible asset
  • intangible value
  • intangible factor
  • intangible quality
  • intangible feeling

Adverbs

  • completely intangible
  • largely intangible
  • somewhat intangible
  • seemingly intangible

Phrases

  • tangible and intangible
  • both tangible and intangible
  • the intangible nature of something

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Intangible comes from Latin 'intangibilis,' formed from 'in-' (not) plus 'tangibilis' (that can be touched), which itself comes from 'tangere' (to touch). The word entered English in the early 1600s through French. Its opposite, 'tangible,' had already appeared in English about a century earlier. The modern business meaning — referring to assets without physical substance — developed in the early 1900s alongside modern accounting standards.