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 On many, the names, birth years and death years are illegible. — Kamal Morgan. Produced With Ai Assistance, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 June 2026 Federal grievances may be thrown out for being trivial, illegible or not pertaining to an issue that can be addressed through the bureau's system. — Christie Thompson, NPR, 17 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 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
  • Putting his lean and sinewy physicality to disquieting use, McNairy makes Wilson both unreadable and coldly transparent, giving him equal parts menace and magnetism.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • The inspections also showed customers' records disposed of without first being shredded or made unreadable in violation of California privacy laws, the lawsuit alleged.
    — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of unreadable
Adjective
  • Other researchers were hunting the agents online and finding traces of them on obscure message boards.
    — Gerrit De Vynck, Washington Post, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Akhtar is at his best here because the sensations remain vivid even when their significance is obscure.
    — Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of obscure
Adjective
  • Her life may have been her language, formal, developed, indecipherable.
    — Senior Television, Los Angeles Times, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Unfortunately, the full document was nigh-indecipherable—LLMs tend to explain their proofs in unhelpful ways, spending inordinate time on minor details while glancing past important steps.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of indecipherable
Adjective
  • And according to Nanayakkara, this in turn raises the possibility that even older (and fainter) FRBs have passed by Earth unnoticed.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Its exceptional transparency can reveal faint stars near the threshold of naked-eye visibility.
    — Joe Rao, Space.com, 8 Oct. 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
  • Rappers Lucki and Playboi Carti were seen in videos posted to social media, though the cause of the fight and its participants remain unclear.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The prognosis for a Tennessee woman who survived two doses of lethal injection is still unclear, according to her lawyer, who said doctors are still trying to clear the lethal drug administered during her execution attempt.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 4 Oct. 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 10 Oct. 2026.

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