intangible
Something intangible is real or important, but you cannot touch it because it has no physical form.
Not having a physical form, so it cannot be touched or held.
Something intangible is hard to explain or measure, but it can still be real and important.
Difficult to describe, prove, or measure precisely, especially because it is based on feelings, impressions, relationships, or indirect effects.
An intangible is a useful or important quality that you cannot touch or measure easily.
A nonphysical quality, factor, or advantage that has value or influence, especially one that is hard to measure.
In business, intangibles are valuable things a company owns that are not physical objects.
A business asset with monetary value but no physical form, such as a patent, trademark, software, customer list, or goodwill.
- Base: intangible
- Base: intangible
- Plural: intangibles
intangible benefits
1hard-to-measure advantages
Good results that are important but hard to measure.
- Remote work brought intangible benefits, including better morale and lower stress.
- The museum project has intangible benefits for local pride and community identity.
- The report focuses on cost savings but also mentions several intangible benefits.
- Better teamwork is an intangible benefit.
- The course has intangible benefits, such as confidence.
intangible costs
1hard-to-measure disadvantages
Bad effects that are real but hard to measure exactly.
- The layoffs saved money, but the intangible costs to morale were high.
- Noise pollution has intangible costs, such as anxiety and reduced quality of life.
- The company underestimated the intangible costs of losing experienced staff.
- Stress can be an intangible cost.
- The plan has intangible costs for the community.
intangible cultural heritage
1living cultural traditions
Traditional songs, skills, festivals, or knowledge that a community keeps alive.
- Traditional weaving is part of the region's intangible cultural heritage.
- UNESCO lists some festivals and craft traditions as intangible cultural heritage.
- The program teaches young people skills that are central to their community's intangible cultural heritage.
- Folk songs can be intangible cultural heritage.
- The festival is part of the town's intangible cultural heritage.
intangible property
1nonphysical legal property
Legal property that has value but is not a physical thing.
- The contract transfers both physical equipment and intangible property, including patents and trademarks.
- Some states have special rules for taxing intangible property.
- A copyright is a common example of intangible property.
- A patent is intangible property.
- The company owns valuable intangible property.
intangible value
1value hard to measure
Value that is real but difficult to count or price exactly.
- The brand has intangible value that does not appear fully on the balance sheet.
- A good mentor adds intangible value to a young employee's career.
- The redesign created intangible value by making customers feel more confident.
- Trust has intangible value.
- The logo gives the company intangible value.