asset

American  

[as-et] / ˈæs ɛt /

noun

1. a useful and desirable thing or quality.

   Organizational ability is an asset.

2. a single item of ownership having exchange value.

   Our summer home is an asset we're not willing to sell.

3. Digital Technology. one of the media components that, taken together, comprise all of the elements of a video game, such as the environments, objects, character art and animation, and sound design.

   All of the game assets are downloaded to your hard drive during the install, so slow load times are local and indicate a problem with your drive.

4. (in intelligence and information gathering) a person followed or spied upon to obtain information, who may be consenting, forced, or unaware of being used.

   They threatened to release a catalog of virtually every CIA asset within the Soviet Union.

5. Military. a physical resource, such as a piece of equipment, vehicle, or building.

6. assets. assets.

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asset British  

/ ˈæsɛt /

noun

1. anything valuable or useful See also assets

   experience is their main asset

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asset Cultural  

1. A possession that can be turned into cash to cover liabilities.

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Discover More

Commonly, the term denotes anything of value.

Other Word Forms

• assetless adjective

Etymology

Origin of asset

First recorded in 1525–35; back formation from assets, in phrase have assets, literally, “have enough (to pay obligations),” from Anglo-French, Old French asez “enough,” from unattested Vulgar Latin ad satis “to sufficiency”; assai ¹

Example Sentences

First, past presidents viewed the international order—the multilateral institutions and web of security and economic alliances set up by Washington—as an asset worth defending.

From The Wall Street Journal

Since late 2025, the United States has maintained an armada of naval assets in the Caribbean, including warships, fighter jets, and thousands of military personnel.

From Barron's

But as Barron’s has pointed out in the past, the fund trades at a substantial premium to its net asset value, making it inherently risky and expensive.

From Barron's

The question is whether it will embolden Washington as it seeks effective control of infrastructure assets owned or controlled by Chinese companies.

From Barron's

Latin American leaders, on the other hand, could use their assets as leverage for getting U.S. assistance, as Argentina did last year when the U.S. extended the country a lifeline amid debt issues.

From Barron's

Related Words

• aid
• benefit
• credit
• resource
• service