the intangible idea
Definitions
A concept or notion that lacks physical substance and cannot be perceived by the senses.
An abstract thought or mental construct that exists independently of material form.
Examples
The intangible idea of freedom is what drove the revolutionaries to risk everything for their cause.
It is difficult to translate the intangible idea of nostalgia into a concrete set of instructions for the machine.
Synonyms
The abstract concept The ethereal notion The elusive thought The conceptual framework
Antonyms
The concrete reality The tangible object The physical entity The material substance