noun

asset

/ˈæset/ · say it: AS·et

anything of value owned by a person or company

In Banking & Finance

In more detail

1. (noun) a useful thing or quality that you have; something of value

2. (noun) property or money that belongs to a person or company

Examples

1. Her creativity is a major asset in her job as a designer.
2. The company's assets include buildings, equipment, and cash.

How to use asset

Asset is used in both personal and business contexts to refer to anything of value or utility. In finance and accounting, it has a technical meaning referring to resources with monetary worth. It differs from advantage in being more concrete and tangible, and from strength in emphasizing material or practical value rather than inherent capability.

Common phrases

valuable asset
key asset
digital asset
frozen assets
current assets
asset management

Synonyms

advantage · strength · resource · possession · property

Opposites

liability · disadvantage · weakness

Word family

assets (plural) · asset-backed

A common mistake

Learners sometimes use asset as a count noun with an article when discussing abstract qualities (say 'an asset to the team' rather than 'an asset for the team'), though both patterns are acceptable.

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