Intangible
adjective
Definition
1. Difficult to describe, measure, or touch.
2. Something valuable that has no physical form.
2. Something valuable that has no physical form.
Context Alive
The café looked ordinary from the outside. But the moment you walked in, there was something intangible about the atmosphere — a warmth that went beyond the lighting, a comfort that had nothing to do with the furniture, just a feeling that made you want to stay.
Meanings
2 meanings 1 Difficult to Describe or Touch (Adjective) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about something real that you can feel but can’t easily explain or physically touch. Imagine walking into a room and sensing something intangible in the air — maybe tension between two people, or an excitement you can’t quite put into words. This is intangible — it exists, but you can’t grab it or measure it. You might say “there’s an intangible quality about her leadership” or “the team had an intangible connection on stage.” Or picture two old friends who haven’t spoken in years but still share an intangible bond the moment they meet again. The word suggests something deeply felt but hard to define. ✏️ Think of it as the opposite of “tangible” — if you can touch it or count it, it’s not intangible.
Vivid ExampleEveryone agreed the restaurant had great food. But there was something intangible about the place that kept people coming back — maybe the music, maybe the owner’s smile, maybe just a feeling no one could quite explain.
2 Something Valuable Without Physical Form (Noun) Common ▼
This meaning is about valuable things that don’t exist in a physical form. Imagine a company trying to calculate its total worth. Beyond the buildings and equipment, there are intangibles like brand reputation and customer loyalty. This is using intangible as a noun — a valuable asset you can’t hold in your hands. You might hear “leadership and teamwork are the intangibles that win championships” or “the company’s biggest intangibles are its brand and patents.” Or think about a job interview where skills are on paper, but the real intangibles are confidence and personality. The word points to hidden value. ✏️ In sports, “intangibles” often means qualities like attitude and work ethic — things that don’t show up in statistics.
Vivid ExampleThe coach knew his team didn’t have the most talented players. But they had the intangibles — heart, discipline, and a refusal to give up — and those qualities carried them all the way to the final.
Examples from the Street
“There’s something intangible about her — you can’t quite explain it, but everyone’s drawn to her.”
There’s a quality about her that’s impossible to put into words, but people are naturally attracted to her
“The benefits of travel are mostly intangible — you can’t measure them, but they change you.”
The rewards of travelling can’t really be counted or proved, but they transform who you are
“It’s the intangibles that separate good teams from great ones.”
It’s the unmeasurable qualities — chemistry, attitude, trust — that make the difference between a decent team and an outstanding one
Common Patterns
something intangible → a quality or feeling that exists but can’t be easily defined or measured
intangible quality/factor → a characteristic that’s real but impossible to quantify
intangible benefits/rewards → advantages that are felt rather than measured (e.g. confidence, happiness)
intangible but (adjective) → acknowledging that something is hard to define yet still real or powerful
almost/largely intangible → mostly impossible to measure or pin down
intangible assets → non-physical things of value such as brand reputation, patents, or goodwill
intangible value → worth that cannot be expressed in numbers alone
intangible property → legally owned things without physical form (trademarks, copyrights)
tangible and intangible → a common pairing contrasting the physical with the non-physical
the intangibles → the unmeasurable qualities that matter (teamwork, attitude, chemistry)
it’s the intangibles that (verb) → the hard-to-define qualities are what really make the difference
bring intangibles to something → contribute qualities that go beyond statistics or obvious skills
Collocations
3 collocationsintangible benefits
advantages that cannot be physically measured
intangible quality
a characteristic you can feel but not define
intangible assets
non-physical resources like reputation or knowledge
Example Sentences
12 examples
1
There’s something intangible about great leadership — it’s not just about skills or experience, it’s a presence people can feel
There’s an indefinable quality to outstanding leadership — it goes beyond abilities or background, it’s an aura that people sense.
2
The old café has an intangible quality that keeps people coming back despite newer, fancier options nearby
The long-standing coffee shop has a hard-to-explain charm that draws customers back even though there are more modern, upmarket places just around the corner.
3
The intangible benefits of volunteering — like personal growth and a sense of purpose — often matter more than any line on a CV
The unmeasurable rewards of giving your time — such as developing as a person and feeling you have meaning — frequently count for more than any qualification on a résumé.
4
The connection between the two musicians was almost intangible — you couldn’t describe it, but you could hear it in every note
The bond between the two performers was nearly impossible to put into words — you couldn’t explain it, but it came through clearly in every sound they played.
5
The damage to the company’s reputation was intangible but devastating — no balance sheet could capture the lost trust
The harm done to the firm’s public image couldn’t be measured yet was enormously destructive — no financial report could reflect the confidence that had been destroyed.
6
In modern business, intangible assets like brand recognition and intellectual property can be worth more than physical buildings or equipment
In today’s corporate world, non-physical holdings such as how well-known a name is and ownership of ideas can be more valuable than actual premises or machinery.
7
The report looked at both tangible and intangible factors affecting employee satisfaction
The study examined both measurable and hard-to-quantify elements that influence how happy workers feel in their jobs.
8
Stats don’t tell the whole story — it’s the intangibles that separate champions from contenders
Numbers alone don’t give you the full picture — the unmeasurable qualities like heart, chemistry, and determination are what set winners apart from the rest.
9
He doesn’t score many goals, but he brings intangibles to the team — energy, communication, and a winning mentality
He doesn’t find the net very often, but he contributes qualities you can’t see on a stats sheet — enthusiasm, constant talking, and an attitude that demands success.
10
The intangible value of a loyal customer base is something many companies underestimate until they lose it
The hidden worth of having devoted, returning buyers is something many businesses fail to appreciate until those people stop coming back.
Learner Examples
★
The best teachers bring intangibles to the classroom — patience, warmth, and an ability to make even the most anxious student feel safe enough to speak
The finest instructors contribute unmeasurable qualities to their lessons — calm endurance, genuine kindness, and a gift for helping even the most nervous learner feel comfortable enough to open their mouth.
★
There’s an intangible difference between learning English from a textbook and learning it through real conversations — one gives you rules, the other gives you confidence
There’s a hard-to-define gap between studying the language from a course book and picking it up through actual discussions with people — one provides you with grammar, the other gives you the self-assurance to actually use it.
Synonyms & Antonyms
7 items
Synonymsabstract
not physical
invisible
can't be seen
immaterial
not concrete
elusive
hard to define
Antonymstangible
can be touched
concrete
real and physical
material
physical substance