Question

Choose the word that is most OPPOSITE in meaning to the word given in capitals.

TANGIBLE

• A. Ethereal
• B. Concrete
• C. Actual
• D. Solid

Hint:

Tangible means solid enough to touch and grasp. Its opposite must mean too delicate or unreal to ever be touched.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Test TANGIBLE with a simple question: can you reach out and physically touch it? A tangible thing, like a table or a coin, passes this test easily. The opposite word should describe something that fails this touch test completely.

1. Ethereal: Something ethereal, like mist, moonlight, or a faint spirit, slips through your fingers and cannot be grasped at all. It fails the touch test in the most complete way, making it the opposite of tangible.
2. Concrete: A concrete object passes the touch test just as easily as a tangible one does, so this word sits on the same side as tangible.
3. Actual: Something actual is real and true, but this word does not specifically test whether it can be touched, so it does not oppose tangible directly.
4. Solid: A solid object is the clearest possible pass of the touch test, again matching tangible rather than reversing it.

Only ethereal completely fails the touch test, describing something too delicate and insubstantial to ever be grasped, the true reverse of tangible.

Let's summarize:

• Tangible passes a simple touch test: it can be physically grasped.
• Concrete and Solid pass that same test, and Actual does not address touch at all.
• Ethereal fails the touch test completely, making it the correct opposite.

So the correct opposite of tangible is option (1), Ethereal.