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Synonyms

intangible

American  
[in-tan-juh-buhl] / ɪnˈtæn dʒə bəl /

adjective

  1. not tangible; incapable of being perceived by the sense of touch, as incorporeal or immaterial things; impalpable.

  2. not definite or clear to the mind.

    intangible arguments.
    Synonyms:
    fleeting, elusive, vague

  3. (of an asset, such as reputation or a patent) not physical or financial, and often not measurable or transferable, but contributing to the value of a business.

noun

  1. something intangible, especially an intangible asset.

    Intangibles are hard to value.
intangible British  
/ ɪnˈtændʒɪbəl /

adjective

  1. incapable of being perceived by touch; impalpable

  2. imprecise or unclear to the mind

    intangible ideas

  3. (of property or a business asset) saleable though not possessing intrinsic productive value

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. something that is intangible

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • intangibility noun
  • intangibleness noun
  • intangibly adverb

Etymology

Origin of intangible

First recorded in 1630–40; from Medieval Latin intangibilis; in- 3 ( def. ), tangible ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

It also included training in intangible skills, she said: “How to walk into a room, how to own a room, how you’re projecting your posture and your voice.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

Still, being asset-light means the balance sheets of many tech companies are stocked with intangible assets, including patents and licenses, rather than capital assets, such as factories or specialized equipment.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 18, 2026

"But at the same time, we are stable, we are predictable. We are reliable and we are trusted, and these are intangible assets that others would die to have."

From BBC • Mar. 7, 2026

Having made UNESCO's intangible cultural heritage list in 2021, rumba stands as a source of intense national pride in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as across the border in Congo-Brazzaville.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

The girl’s spirit wavered in some intangible breeze.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.