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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.
Synonyms
Examples of tangible in a Sentence
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
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Ian Wilding, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023
Whereas a wind farm that will kill golden eagles is tangible, easy to grasp.
—Sammy Roth, Los Angeles Times, 21 Nov. 2023
These contributions can provide real, tangible benefits to those countries that need them most.
—Jessica F. Green, Foreign Affairs, 20 Nov. 2023
Even better, Biden won some tangible (though minor) benefits.
—Michael Schuman, The Atlantic, 16 Nov. 2023
Representation is concrete, tangible, and such wins are more easily measurable.
—Ruth Umoh, Fortune, 15 Nov. 2023
The Big Joy Project, created by Simon-Thomas and researchers from over 10 Universities, including Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health, translates small and tangible interventions reported to improve overall well-being into a seven-day digital happiness program.
—Byalexa Mikhail, Fortune Well, 14 Nov. 2023
Find it on Amazon Create Memories With This Fujifilm Smartphone Printer
Turn smartphone pictures into tangible memories with this high-tech Fujifilm smartphone printer.
—Samantha Booth, Rolling Stone, 17 Nov. 2023
It is housed in a former jail; for all its on-trend glitz and glamor, there are still prisoners’ etchings in the walls, giving guests a surprising, tangible connection to the past.
—Jacqui Gifford, Travel + Leisure, 16 Nov. 2023
Kevin Koenig, Robb Report, 30 Oct. 2023
There are real tangibles that always come out of everybody’s experience that decides to invest in attending.
—Jasmine Browley, Essence, 10 Oct. 2023
Leads them in many tangibles (96 hits, 157 total bases) and also intangibles, setting the tone as a leadoff hitter and with his work ethic.
—Gabe Lacques, USA TODAY, 29 June 2023
Like Ludwig von Mises and so many other free thinkers, Tolstoy was pointing out that during times of uncertainty, there’s a flight to tangibles.
—John Tamny, Forbes, 3 May 2023
Every surviving team has the tangibles of talent.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 28 Mar. 2023
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
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tangible.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near tangible
Cite this Entry
“Tangible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tangible. Accessed 11 Dec. 2023.
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Kids Definition
tangible
1 of 2 adjective
tangible
2 of 2 noun
Legal Definition
tangible
adjective
More from Merriam-Webster on tangible
Nglish: Translation of tangible for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of tangible for Arabic Speakers
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