Synonyms of illiteracy

illiteracy

noun

(ˌ)i(l)-ˈli-t(ə-)rə-sē 

as in ignorance

the state of being unlearned

far too many children are doomed to a lifetime of illiteracy in that country

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ignorance
• idiocy
• dumbness
• functional illiteracy
• imbecility
• innumeracy
• philistinism
• stupidity
• mindlessness
• foolishness
• brainlessness
• witlessness
• senselessness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• literacy
• education
• learning
• training
• instruction
• knowledge
• scholarship
• enlightenment
• erudition

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of illiteracy

Integrity Children's Fund is a nonprofit organization that aims to reduce illiteracy among Jamaican and immigrant children by providing educational resources to underprivileged schools, according to the organization's official website. — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 18 May 2026

Rabat has also been credited with empowering local women and youth through reading and fighting illiteracy, especially among underserved communities. — Connor Sturges, Condé Nast Traveler, 27 Apr. 2026

An early example was Radio Sutatenza, launched in 1947 by a Catholic priest hoping to combat illiteracy in rural communities of Colombia; the local effort eventually expanded to provide a variety of educational programming across a national network. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Apr. 2026

This historical illiteracy – as well as a fundamental lack of understanding about what constitutes anti-Semitism – leaves institutions without clear standards for addressing the centuries-old hatred. — Kenneth L. Marcus, Boston Herald, 13 Apr. 2026