illiteracy
noun
il·lit·er·a·cy
(ˌ)i(l)-ˈli-t(ə-)rə-sē 
plural illiteracies
1
: the quality or state of being illiterate
especially
: inability to read or write
2
: a mistake or crudity (as in speaking) typical of one who is illiterate
Examples of illiteracy in a Sentence
the government's efforts to reduce illiteracy
His letters contain many misspellings and illiteracies.
Recent Examples on the Web
His administration was also very successful in that under his term consumer prices only rose at just .4%, the nation’s wealth increased by 17.5%, the national debt was cut in half, unemployment stood at 3.6% and illiteracy fell by almost 50%.
—
Maritza Dominguez, The Arizona Republic, 9 July 2024
Trafficking can impoverish the families of its victims, compounding illiteracy and poor health and nutrition and perpetuating poverty across generations.
—Jamille Bigio, Foreign Affairs, 8 June 2021
Today, technology, in particular artificial intelligence, can empower us to overcome a lack of information (financial illiteracy), thereby unlocking the full economic potential of emancipation and ensuring a more equitable future for all.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 19 June 2024
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) library projects, which served 45 states and employed 14,500 people, helped confront two problems at once: unemployment and illiteracy.
—Pavlina R. Tcherneva, Foreign Affairs, 22 July 2020
See all Example Sentences for illiteracy 
Maritza Dominguez, The Arizona Republic, 9 July 2024
Trafficking can impoverish the families of its victims, compounding illiteracy and poor health and nutrition and perpetuating poverty across generations.
—Jamille Bigio, Foreign Affairs, 8 June 2021
Today, technology, in particular artificial intelligence, can empower us to overcome a lack of information (financial illiteracy), thereby unlocking the full economic potential of emancipation and ensuring a more equitable future for all.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 19 June 2024
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) library projects, which served 45 states and employed 14,500 people, helped confront two problems at once: unemployment and illiteracy.
—Pavlina R. Tcherneva, Foreign Affairs, 22 July 2020
See all Example Sentences for illiteracy
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'illiteracy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near illiteracy
Cite this Entry
“Illiteracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illiteracy. Accessed 27 Jul. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
illiteracy
noun
il·lit·er·a·cy
(ˈ)il-ˈ(l)it-ə-rə-sē
-ˈ(l)i-trə-sē
plural illiteracies
1
: the quality or state of being illiterate
especially
: inability to read or write
2
: a mistake made by or typical of an illiterate person
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