intangible
intangible — adjective
1. describes something that has no physical form, so it cannot be touched, held, or
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.
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.
A company's reputation is an intangible asset worth more than its buildings.
The project's success came from intangible factors like team spirit and mutual trust.
Yasmin found it hard to explain the intangible feeling of peace the garden gave her.
- 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
文法句型
intangible + noun
be + intangible
remain + intangible
用法筆記
Often used in the phrase 'intangible assets' in business contexts. The comparative form 'more intangible' is rare — use 'less tangible' instead.
常見錯誤
intangible — noun
1. something that exists in reality but has no physical body or material form, maki
something that exists in reality but has no physical body or material form, making it impossible to touch or measure exactly — for example, a personal quality, an emotion, or a social bond.
Trust is an intangible that takes years to earn but only seconds to lose.
an intangible — countable noun use for an abstract concept
Faisal valued intangibles like loyalty and honesty more than any amount of money.
The judge had to weigh intangibles such as the child's emotional needs against practical concerns.
Maeve could not say what drew her to the old house — it was an intangible.
- abstraction
broader; refers to any idea or concept, not necessarily one that is hard to measure
- intangible quality
more explanatory and less formal than the single-word noun
- physical object
a thing that exists in material form and can be touched
- tangible thing
the opposite concept in everyday language
文法句型
an intangible (singular)
intangibles (plural)
intangible + like [examples]
用法筆記
Typically used in the plural form 'intangibles' when listing several qualities. More frequent in formal or reflective writing than in everyday conversation.
2. a valuable item owned by a business that has no physical form, such as a brand n
a valuable item owned by a business that has no physical form, such as a brand name, a patent, a copyright, or customer loyalty.
The company's biggest intangible was its brand, which consumers around the world trusted.
biggest intangible — business context for the most valuable non-physical asset
When valuing a business, accountants include intangibles like patents and trademarks.
Caio's startup had few physical assets, but its intangibles were worth millions.
Goodwill is an intangible that appears on a company's balance sheet.
- intangible asset
the full standard business term
- non-physical asset
more descriptive and less formal
- intellectual property
a subset of intangibles that includes patents, copyrights, and trademarks
- tangible asset
physical assets such as buildings, machinery, and land
- hard asset
informal business term for physical assets like equipment and real estate
文法句型
intangible (singular — countable)
intangibles (plural)
intangible assets (fixed business term)
用法筆記
Primarily used in accounting, law, and business valuation. Almost always appears in plural ('intangibles') when referring to a group of such assets on financial statements.