tangible

[tan-juh-buhl]

adjective

1. capable of being touched; discernible by the touch; material or substantial.

   Synonyms: corporeal, palpable

2. real or actual, rather than imaginary or visionary.

   the tangible benefits of sunshine.

   Synonyms: perceptible, genuine, certain

3. definite; not vague or elusive.

   no tangible grounds for suspicion.

   Synonyms: specific

4. (of an asset) having actual physical existence, as real estate or chattels, and therefore capable of being assigned a value in monetary terms.

noun

1. something tangible, especially a tangible asset.

tangible

/ ˈtændʒəbəl /

adjective

1. capable of being touched or felt; having real substance

   a tangible object

2. capable of being clearly grasped by the mind; substantial rather than imaginary

   tangible evidence

3. having a physical existence; corporeal

   tangible assets

noun

1. (often plural) a tangible thing or asset

Other Word Forms

• tangibility noun
• tangibly adverb
• tangibleness noun
• nontangible adjective
• nontangibleness noun
• nontangibly adverb
• pretangible adjective
• pretangibly adverb
• quasi-tangible adjective
• quasi-tangibly adverb
• untangible adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tangible¹

First recorded in 1580–90; from Late Latin tangibilis, from Latin tang(ere) “to touch” + -ibilis -ible; tangent ( def. )

Word History and Origins

Origin of tangible¹

C16: from Late Latin tangibilis, from Latin tangere to touch

Example Sentences

"It gives us agency back, policymakers included, to make some tangible difference, where sometimes the output from our actions is sometimes disproportionately good," he told AFP.

Read more on Barron's

Icy wanderers such as 3I/ATLAS offer a rare, tangible connection to the broader galaxy.

Read more on Science Daily

And this time can come at a tangible cost in the form of lost wages, which harms their day-to-day lives.

Read more on Salon

“We wanted to focus on that very recent, very tangible and particularly gross injustice, which doesn’t close the door on revisiting other commutations in prior eras and in prior administrations,” he said.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

These women seek to provide tangible benefits to those who need help.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal