tangibly

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "tangibly" is correct and usable in written English.
It is an adverb meaning physically or in a way that can be understood or felt, and is most often used in reference to tangible objects. For example: "The impact of the natural disaster was tangibly felt by the citizens of the town."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Maryam senses a tangibly diminished morality police "presence".

The Guardian

People loved those Tina Fey/Sarah Palin sketches because Sarah Palin is a terrifying, anti-intellectual, anti-choice, gun-toting ideologue who came within a hair's breadth of one of the most powerful political offices in the world, a dystopian potentiality that could have tangibly affected the lives of literally billions of people.

The Guardian - Opinion

Less tangibly, there's also a sense of intellectual exhaustion.

The Guardian - Opinion

Or can I do something that will tangibly affect my life, the lives of my family and friends, the lives of the whole community in which I'm living?"... that could eventually transform not just local politics, but in the long run it could actually have a national impact.

The Guardian

More tangibly, Czechs are likelier to have jobs than their Slovak brethren.

The Economist

And when the employer says no…that woman is quite directly, quite tangibly harmed".

The Economist

The exposition's buildings turned out to be mostly neo-classical pastiche, but the fair did bequeath a sense of cultural pride and, more tangibly, the makings of a new home for the Art Institute.

The Economist

Less tangibly, the agreement with the US has also been conceived as part of a broader "strategic partnership" with India's most important trading partner, and was designed to foster closer political ties between the world's two largest democracies while strengthening their commercial relationship.

The Economist

He preferred to be a "builder", of schools and hospitals and the other things that tangibly improve voters' lives.

The Economist

The summit would bring Okinawa some useful publicity and, more tangibly, a huge building boom.Mr Obuchi was also intending to use the summit to present himself as the spokesman for Asia, a role he has tried to shape for himself during overseas visits.

The Economist

And, less tangibly, the political and intellectual base of Mr Cardoso's government is narrowed and diminished.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When contrasting "tangibly" with something else, ensure the other element is clearly intangible or abstract, creating a strong distinction.

Common error

Avoid using "tangibly" when describing purely abstract concepts. It's best suited for situations where there's a clear, perceptible effect or result. Overusing it can weaken your writing.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "tangibly" is as an adverb. It modifies verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to indicate that something is done or experienced in a way that is perceptible or concrete. As Ludwig AI confirms, the word is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

48%

Formal & Business

26%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

8%

Encyclopedias

4%

Reference

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "tangibly" functions as an adverb used to emphasize that something is real and perceptible. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a correct and usable term in English. Its frequency is very common and it is present in a wide array of reliable contexts, including news, business, and academic writing. When employing "tangibly", prioritize scenarios involving clear, concrete effects. Remember to avoid overuse in abstract contexts, which can weaken your writing. Alternatives such as "palpably" or "concretely" can provide nuanced variations, as shown by Ludwig examples.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

concretely

Emphasizes the real and specific nature of something, as opposed to abstract.

palpably

Emphasizes the feeling or sense of something being real and present.

perceptibly

Focuses on the degree to which something is noticeable through the senses.

demonstrably

Highlights that something can be shown or proven.

noticeably

Highlights the ease with which something can be observed or detected.

measurably

Highlights the ability to quantify or assess something.

appreciably

Focuses on the degree to which something is significant or considerable.

materially

Stresses the physical or substantial nature of something.

visibly

Indicates that something is easily seen or apparent.

ostensibly

Indicates that something appears to be true, though it might not be.

FAQs

How to use "tangibly" in a sentence?

"Tangibly" is used to describe something that can be perceived physically or understood clearly. For example, "The new policy will "tangibly improve" the company's performance".

What can I say instead of "tangibly"?

You can use alternatives like "palpably", "measurably", or "concretely" depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Which is correct, "tangibly improved" or "tangible improved"?

"Tangibly improved" is correct because "tangibly" is an adverb modifying the verb "improved". "Tangible" is an adjective and would not be grammatically correct in this context.

What's the difference between "tangibly" and "intangibly"?

"Tangibly" means in a way that can be perceived by the senses or is real and concrete, whereas "intangibly" refers to something that cannot be physically perceived or is abstract.