intangible

1 of 2

adjective

in·​tan·​gi·​ble (ˌ)in-ˈtan-jə-bəl How to pronounce intangible (audio)
: not tangible : impalpable
education's intangible benefits
intangibility noun
intangibleness noun
intangibly adverb

intangible

2 of 2

noun

: something intangible: such as
a
: an asset (such as goodwill) that is not corporeal
b
: an abstract quality or attribute

Examples of intangible in a Sentence

Adjective Leadership is an intangible asset to a company. electrical energy is completely intangible
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Meanwhile, convention supporters also cite intangible benefits, including the attention Milwaukee will receive from global news coverage of the event, which runs July 15-18. Tom Daykin, Journal Sentinel, 29 Feb. 2024 The narrative takes an intense turn when Leah, urged by her new neighbor Alice’s desperate plea for help, must confront the tangible and intangible threats surrounding them. Roxsy Lin, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2024 An even more vexing issue is the intangible heritage of national minorities. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024 Washington Examiner’s most important intangible asset is its integrity. Washington Examiner, 15 Dec. 2023 The bottom line is that your pricing should reflect not just your current operational costs, but also the intangible value consumers receive from your offers. Melissa Houston, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 DeAndre Jordan’s intangible value as an outspoken veteran leader might be greater than any on-court value Denver could acquire under the salary cap parameters. Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 2 Feb. 2024 This value of brands and goodwill over bricks and mortar rings truer today in a landscape where intangible assets constitute 90% of the S&P 500’s enterprise value. Harrison Wise, Rolling Stone, 5 Jan. 2024 In addition, assess the intangible measures like curiosity, openness to new experiences and the ability to draw connections. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024
Noun
What are some of the intangibles that make Ferrari the winningest team in Formula 1 history. Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 15 Mar. 2024 Even intangibles, like copyrights and intellectual property, can be bought and sold at their owners’ discretion. Chris Dixon, Fortune, 10 Mar. 2024 At the other extreme are countries that would prefer to keep UNESCO’s paper-pushing hands off their intangibles. Julian Lucas, The New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2024 Job Search Variables Variables include tangibles like job levels applied for, number of jobs available in the field, salaries sought, and so on; intangibles include intensity of the search, quality of the candidate’s résumé, number of candidates, etc. Eli Amdur, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2024 Beyond those recent credentials, Bednar likes the intangibles Parise brings to a talented team that won 13 times in 16 games before the extended All-Star Game break and has its sights on winning a second championship in the last three years. Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post, 4 Feb. 2024 Portfolio companies say the deal comes with intangibles, like access to research teams and even the company’s famous CEO. Richard Nieva, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 His personality and approach could be excellent complementary intangibles for Young, who is much more reserved and even-keeled. Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 26 Jan. 2024 But intangibles are obviously only part of the story. The Indianapolis Star, 22 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'intangible.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

French or Medieval Latin; French, from Medieval Latin intangibilis, from Latin in- + Late Latin tangibilis tangible

First Known Use

Adjective

1640, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of intangible was in 1640

Dictionary Entries Near intangible

Cite this Entry

“Intangible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intangible. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

intangible

adjective
in·​tan·​gi·​ble
(ˈ)in-ˈtan-jə-bəl
1
: not capable of being touched
light is intangible
2
: not capable of being thought of as matter or substance
health's intangible benefits
intangibility
(ˌ)in-ˌtan-jə-ˈbil-ət-ē
noun
intangible noun
intangibleness
(ˈ)in-ˈtan-jə-bəl-nəs
noun
intangibly
-blē
adverb

Legal Definition

intangible

1 of 2 adjective
in·​tan·​gi·​ble in-ˈtan-jə-bəl How to pronounce intangible (audio)
: incapable of being touched : having no physical existence : not tangible or corporeal

intangible

2 of 2 noun
: something intangible
specifically : an asset (as goodwill or a patent right) that is not corporeal

More from Merriam-Webster on intangible

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