in·tel·li·gi·ble
in-ˈte-lə-jə-bəl 
1
: capable of being understood or comprehended
jargon intelligible only to the initiated
2
: apprehensible by the intellect only
in·tel·li·gi·bil·i·ty
-lətē,
-i
plural -es
1
: the quality or state of being intelligible : clarity, understandability
the immediate intelligibility of the prose—
Richard Eberhart
Richard Eberhart2
: something that is intelligible
Examples of intelligible in a Sentence
Adjective
the ability to make complex concepts intelligible to the average reader
Very little of the recording was intelligible.
Recent Examples on the Web
Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
The Nicene Creed still had a rhapsodic, mesmerizing quality; the Lord’s Prayer would have been intelligible to anyone familiar with the English or Latin versions.
—Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
The dulcet tones of that thick Irish accent are perfectly intelligible over the phone, THR puts to him.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
Tears, a visual representation of something internal, transform the scenario into a far more intelligible meme, or drama, or myth.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for intelligible
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Adjective
The Aztecs had just two Americans on their roster, so what Caligiuri heard on the sideline was a mix of Spanish, Serbian and heavily accented — and barely intelligible — English from players born in England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
—Los Angeles Times, 7 June 2026
The Nicene Creed still had a rhapsodic, mesmerizing quality; the Lord’s Prayer would have been intelligible to anyone familiar with the English or Latin versions.
—Katie Thornton, Harpers Magazine, 26 May 2026
The dulcet tones of that thick Irish accent are perfectly intelligible over the phone, THR puts to him.
—Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 13 May 2026
Tears, a visual representation of something internal, transform the scenario into a far more intelligible meme, or drama, or myth.
—Literary Hub, 11 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for intelligible
Cite this Entry
“Intelligible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/intelligible. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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