illegible

adjective

il·​leg·​i·​ble (ˌ)i(l)-ˈle-jə-bəl 

: not legible : indecipherable

illegible writing

illegibility

(ˌ)i(l)-ˌle-jə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

illegibly

(ˌ)i(l)-ˈle-jə-blē 

adverb

Synonyms

• unreadable
• obscure
• indecipherable
• faint
• undecipherable
• unclear

Examples of illegible in a Sentence

illegible signatures on the petition will be disregarded

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1494, for example, mathematician and ‘father of modern accounting’ Luca Pacioli wrote of Venetian merchants willfully rendering their ledgers illegible. —Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2025

Wilson showed her a picture of their first tag, an illegible scrawl. —Madeleine Wulfahrt, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025

Sponsor is not responsible for illegible, incomplete or stolen Entries, or Entries that are processed late or are lost or deleted due to computer or electronic malfunction, or other error. —Vogue, 29 July 2025

The letter featured a number of typos, and the Federal Reserve’s seal was illegible and appeared to be generated by artificial intelligence. —Brett Samuels, The Hill, 22 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1580, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for illegible

• legible

Kids Definition

illegible

adjective

il·​leg·​i·​ble (ˈ)il-ˈ(l)ej-ə-bəl 

: impossible or very hard to read

illegible handwriting

illegibly

(ˈ)il-ˈ(l)ej-ə-blē 

adverb