tangible

tangible — adjective

1. real enough to be seen, touched, or shown to be true — not something that exists

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

real enough to be seen, touched, or shown to be true — not something that exists only as an idea or feeling.

Example

Ishaan needed tangible proof before he believed the story about the break-in.

collocation: tangible proof

The charity wanted to see tangible results from the money people had donated.

collocation: tangible results

Common collocations
  • tangible evidence
  • tangible proof
  • tangible results
  • tangible benefits
  • tangible progress
  • tangible difference
Synonyms
  • concrete

    focuses on being specific and definite; concrete plans are more detailed than tangible results

  • physical

    stresses material existence; more literal, less used for evidence or proof

  • palpable

    implies being so strong you can almost feel it; palpable tension, not a synonym for everyday tangibility

  • solid

    informal, suggests something well-founded; solid evidence is reliable, not just touchable

Antonyms
  • abstract

    existing only as an idea, not as a physical reality

  • imaginary

    existing only in the mind, not in reality at all

  • intangible

    the direct opposite; cannot be touched or precisely defined

Grammar Patterns

tangible + noun (evidence/proof/results/benefits)

be + tangible

Usage Note

Often used with nouns like evidence, proof, results, benefits, or progress to highlight a contrast with abstract ideas. The opposite in most contexts is intangible.

Common Mistakes

The chair is tangible' (grammatically correct but unnatural — all physical objects are tangible).
The trial produced tangible proof of the defendant's guilt.
'tangible' adds meaningful contrast only when paired with something that could be abstract or unproven.

2. describing physical items or property owned by a business that have a clear mone

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

describing physical items or property owned by a business that have a clear monetary value and can be sold or exchanged.

Example

Mira's furniture company owned tangible assets like buildings, trucks, and factory equipment.

collocation: tangible assets

When Indra applied for a business loan, the bank checked his tangible property and savings.

collocation: tangible property

Common collocations
  • tangible assets
  • tangible property
  • tangible goods
  • tangible holdings
Synonyms
  • material

    broader term; material goods can refer to any physical object, not just business property

  • physical

    stresses bodily existence; a physical asset is one you can touch and move

  • corporeal

    formal and rare outside legal documents; body vs spirit, not everyday use

Antonyms
  • intangible

    the standard accounting opposite; intangible assets include patents and brand recognition

Grammar Patterns

tangible + asset/property/goods/holdings

tangible + noun (business context)

Usage Note

Almost always placed before nouns such as assets, property, or goods. In business writing the direct opposite is intangible assets — things like brand value, patents, or goodwill that have worth but no physical form.

Common Mistakes

My phone is a tangible asset' (too broad — tangible assets are business terms).
The company's tangible assets included its warehouse, machinery, and delivery trucks.
use 'tangible asset' when categorising business property for accounting or loans.

tangible — noun

Word family

  • tangibly
    adverbC1
  • tangibility
    nounC1
  • intangible
    adjectiveC1
  • intangibly
    adverbC2
  • intangibility
    nounC2
  • tangibles
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something that can be perceived rather than merely imagined, but they differ in emphasis. 'Concrete' highlights specificity and definiteness — concrete plans are detailed and actionable, whereas tangible results are simply observable. 'Tangible' covers both physical touchability and clear provability; it is the most versatile of the group for evidence, proof, and outcomes. 'Palpable' is narrower: it describes something so intense that it feels almost touchable, like palpable tension in a room — it rarely appears in business or scientific contexts. 'Physical' contrasts with mental or digital: a physical object occupies space, while a tangible object may also be an idea backed by evidence. In everyday usage, 'concrete' is preferred for steps and proposals ('a concrete plan'), while 'tangible' works best for showing measurable effects ('tangible results'). A detective looks for tangible clues, not physical ones (since clues are rarely large objects), and palpably nervous witnesses, not concretely nervous ones.

concrete ↗tangible ↗palpablephysical ↗

Common collocations

Adverbs

  • barely tangible
  • scarcely tangible
  • clearly tangible
  • immediately tangible

Phrases

  • tangible and intangible
  • tangible and concrete

Etymology

LatinFrenchEnglish

Tangible comes from Latin 'tangibilis' meaning 'that can be touched', formed from 'tangere' (to touch) plus the suffix '-bilis' (able to). It entered English through French in the 16th century. The figurative sense of 'clearly real or evident' developed soon after, and by the 18th century the word was also used in business contexts to describe physical assets that could be valued. The noun form, used mostly in the plural as 'tangibles', is a modern accounting term dating from the early 20th century.