In a manner that is impossible or difficult to read or decipher; written or printed so badly that the meaning is unclear. This can be due to poor handwriting, smudged ink, faint printing, or a deliberately obscured style. The lack of clarity frustrates attempts to understand the intended message, requiring significant effort or even preventing comprehension altogether. It often results in errors when attempting to transcribe or interpret the written content. The resulting frustration can extend to a lack of trust in the communication if the source is found out to have done the act on purpose.
Illegibly meaning with examples
- The doctor's prescription was written illegibly, forcing the pharmacist to spend several frustrating minutes attempting to decipher the medication and dosage. The patient had to wait longer than necessary, and it created potential for a dosing error if the pharmacist guessed incorrectly. They were lucky the doctor had written a phone number on the bottom to call for verification.
- The antique map, faded and covered in stains, contained annotations written illegibly in a script that predated modern lettering styles. The historian spent hours attempting to piece together the fragmentary clues, consulting old books and consulting several peers until ultimately being defeated in their attempt to translate the full map.
- The ransom note, scrawled illegibly on a torn piece of paper, contained cryptic messages and symbols which the detectives struggled to interpret. The detectives, however, used the note's handwriting to later identify the kidnapper. Their efforts were further complicated because a different writing style was used for some of the sentences.
- The graffiti artist, aiming for anonymity, tagged the wall of the building illegibly with symbols and abstract designs, intended to frustrate those who tried to understand the message. The police later found a signature and linked this person to similar crimes across the country after the fact. The artist also felt that an illegible signature would cause the messages to be more lasting.
Illegibly Synonyms
blurry cryptically faintly indecipherable inscrutable obscurely scrawled unintelligibly unreadableIllegibly Antonyms
clearly comprehensibly distinctly intelligibly legibly readablyIllegibly Crossword Answers
10 Letters
UNREADABLY
14 Letters
UNDECIPHERABLY