Definition of tangible
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Examples of tangible in a Sentence
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.
Recent Examples of tangible from the Web
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Cuts continue from the now-defunct tangible personal property tax, or TPP.
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The question is, do custom fit earphones offer a tangible advantage over foam tips, which cost a mere £12 for a set of three?
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You are also given a ton of responsibility which makes the work rewarding and tangible.
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This is why some lawmakers question whether the Senate will actually accomplish anything tangible during the August fortnight.
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What's the tangible recruiting impact of the NCAA ruling?
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Backing away from a lower retirement age would amount to a political loss, while sticking by the pledge means a tangible financial cost.
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That's a complicated way of saying that the women in Rob's family know, in a very real and tangible way, how Chyna must be feeling.
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The company has even flown a production prototype on several test flights representing a tangible example of a flying car.
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.
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.
Origin and Etymology of tangible
Late Latin tangibilis, from Latin tangere to touch
Synonym Discussion of tangible
Examples of tangible in a Sentence
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 of tangible from the Web
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But there are tangibles for the rookies to learn on the court as well.
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Catherine Golladay, a senior vice president and 20-year veteran of Schwab, said those are some of the tangibles.
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So focus on the tangibles, not the potential shadiness (noise is noise, innocent or not).
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.
Origin and Etymology of tangible
see 1tangible
TANGIBLE Defined for English Language Learners
tangible
playDefinition of tangible for English Language Learners
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: easily seen or recognized
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: able to be touched or felt
TANGIBLE Defined for Kids
tangible
playDefinition of tangible for Students
1 : possible to touch or handle : material Sometimes he pursued the call into the forest, looking for it as though it were a tangible thing … — Jack London, The Call of the Wild
2 : easily seen or recognized tangible benefits
tangibly
\-blē\ adverbWord Root of tangible
The Latin word tangere, meaning “to touch,” and its form tactus give us the roots tang and tact. Words from the Latin tangere have something to do with touching. Something tangible is able to be touched. Contact is a meeting or touching of people or things. Something intact is unharmed, whole, and untouched. Anything tactile relates to the sense of touch.
Law Dictionary
tangible
playLegal Definition of tangible
: capable of being perceived especially by the sense of touch
Learn More about tangible
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See words that rhyme with tangible Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for tangible Spanish Central: Translation of tangible Nglish: Translation of tangible for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of tangible for Arabic speakers
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