as in unreadable
incapable of being read or deciphered illegible signatures on the petition will be disregarded

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 As for the mail, not only was there the sheer volume to contend with, but some of the parcels had become moldy or eaten by vermin, while others had illegible addresses. Emily Krauser, People.com, 22 Dec. 2024 No illegible, incomplete, forged or altered entries will be accepted. Emily Cegielski, Flow Space, 20 Dec. 2024 Other scholars examining the inscription considered this uncertain, concluding that the inscription could not be read and was essentially illegible. Newsweek, 25 Nov. 2024 Photos from the scene show the tombstone broken into multiple pieces, its iconic inscription now illegible. Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for illegible 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for illegible
Adjective
  • With the help of artificial intelligence, researchers have revealed some of the text inside a 2,000-year-old scroll that was charred during Mount Vesuvius’ eruption in 79 C.E. Scholars are now hard at work deciphering the previously unreadable words.
    Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 Feb. 2025
  • Remember, the State gave De Luca, Melissa's trial attorney, a disk containing the dark, unreadable X-rays before trial.
    Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Customers can make an appointment to browse the merchandise, including furniture, jewelry, silver, and obscure objects from around the globe, before placing their bids in the auctions, which are held exclusively online.
    Frances MacDougall, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2025
  • Players carry fake guns – such as water pistols – while concealing their identities and running through areas and hiding in obscure places.
    Julia Bonavita, Fox News, 16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Presenting as an indecipherable puzzle is paramount.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2025
  • It's presented as a form of thermal vision accompanied by muddled and indecipherable audio.
    Simon Thompson, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • That shadow isn’t perfect, so faint sunbeams sneak around the shadow’s edges on all sides in the colors of a sunset, bathing the moon in brilliant, warm hues.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN, 11 Feb. 2025
  • Nominated for Best Actress for her performance in Wicked, Cynthia Erivo arrived in a white French tip manicure airbrushed with a faint, hazy green (and gold embellishments, of course).
    India Espy-Jones, Essence, 8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Hinton then offered an extremely detailed scientific explanation of why that's the case -- an explanation that would be undecipherable to anyone but an AI creator like himself.
    Josh Meyer, USA TODAY, 4 May 2023
  • When the Giants finally chose Kadarius Toney, a wide receiver from the University of Florida, with the 20th pick in the N.F.L. draft, the team’s fans in Cleveland took a good 10 seconds to start a slow clap, mouthing undecipherable questions beneath their masks.
    New York Times, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2021
Adjective
  • When each limit went into effect is unclear, however.
    Wyatte Grantham-Philips, Chicago Tribune, 11 Feb. 2025
  • The details of what Republicans want to do with PSLF are unclear and there is no set figure for how much these proposals could save.
    Justin Gest, Newsweek, 11 Feb. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near illegible

Cite this Entry

“Illegible.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/illegible. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on illegible

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!