illegible

adjective

(ˌ)i(l)-ˈle-jə-bəl How to pronounce illegible (audio)
Definition of illegiblenext
as in unreadable
incapable of being read or deciphered illegible signatures on the petition will be disregarded

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of illegible But the signature was illegible. — Anne Doran, ARTnews.com, 12 June 2026 This illegible language continues to distinguish his works on a global level. — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 28 May 2026 And the document itself is marked up with corrections and disclaimers that facts are incorrect or that context is missing to the point of being almost illegible. — Douglas Schoen, Oc Register, 28 May 2026 Willimantic Police provided a handwritten log that was inconsistent and sometimes illegible. — Ginny Monk, ProPublica, 27 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for illegible
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illegible
  1. unreadable
  2. obscure
  3. indecipherable
  4. faint
  5. undecipherable
  6. unclear
Adjective
  • A lot of this work is almost unreadable now, the pained efforts of young eggheads twisting themselves into rhetorical knots over the moral conundrums posed by real-world applications of Marxist principles.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 July 2026
  • His PowerPoint slides were unreadable because of small text and the auditorium’s bright lights.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 10 July 2026
Definition of unreadable
Adjective
  • Beyond those circles, though, the English-language broadcaster that serves as Taiwan’s main international messaging outlet remains relatively obscure.
    — Ilan Berman, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • On the Japanese side of the intervention, Tokyo also refrained from selling Treasuries and instead tapped an obscure Federal Reserve tool called the Foreign and International Monetary Authorities Repo Facility.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of obscure
Adjective
  • That standard still holds for his frequent barrages of boasts, insults, threats, grouses and indecipherable dispatches via Truth Social.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Tubman is all but indecipherable, roughly limned with white paint and covered by red, black, and yellow smudges and drips.
    — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of indecipherable
Adjective
  • Led by researchers at the University of Cambridge, the mission aims to detect the faint 21-centimeter radio line emitted by early hydrogen atoms operating at low frequencies (10–50 MHz), a signal never before directly observed.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Aug. 2026
  • During search operations, hundreds of onlookers and volunteers must be kept quiet enough in the middle of a bustling city to listen for the faintest sign of life.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of faint
Adjective
  • Georgia relies on machines that count ballots by reading QR codes that are undecipherable to humans.
    — Caleb Groves, AJC.com, 29 Apr. 2026
  • The spirit and the symbolism were, at times, undecipherable.
    — The Know, Denver Post, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of undecipherable
Adjective
  • What that means for Trapilo’s possible return remains unclear.
    — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Deputies said that there was no suspect information available and a motive was unclear as their investigation began.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of unclear

Browse Nearby Words

illegally
illegible
illegitimacy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Illegible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illegible. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of illegible for Spanish Speakers

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