illegible

adjective
UK: /ɪˈlɛdʒɪbəl/
US: /ɪˈlɛdʒɪbəl/

  1. Impossible or very hard to read because the handwriting or printing is not clear.

    1. His writing was so illegible I could not read it.
    2. The old document was fading and the handwriting became almost illegible over the years.

  2. Difficult to decipher or understand due to a lack of clarity or detail.

    1. The recording was illegible, so we couldn't understand the message.
    2. The professor's explanation of the complex theory was so rapid and unclear that it became virtually illegible to most of the students.

Synonyms

unreadable indecipherable faint obscure

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "illegible" in English means: Impossible or very hard to read because the handwriting or printing is not clear., Difficult to decipher or understand due to a lack of clarity or detail..

The phonetic transcription of "illegible" is /ɪˈlɛdʒɪbəl/ in British English and /ɪˈlɛdʒɪbəl/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "illegible": unreadable, indecipherable, faint, obscure.

Example usage of "illegible": "His writing was so illegible I could not read it.". More examples on the page.