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Synonyms

unreadable

American  
[uhn-ree-duh-buhl] / ʌnˈri də bəl /

adjective

  1. not readable; undecipherable; scribbled.

    His scrawl was almost unreadable.

  2. not interesting to read; dull; tedious; an unreadable treatise.

  3. extraordinarily difficult to read or comprehend; obscure; incomprehensible.

    an unreadable dream; an unreadable expression.


unreadable British  
/ ʌnˈriːdəbəl /

adjective

  1. illegible; undecipherable

  2. difficult or tedious to read

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • unreadability noun
  • unreadableness noun
  • unreadably adverb

Etymology

Origin of unreadable

First recorded in 1795–1805; un- 1 + readable

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Frank stood in the center of the room, breathing hard, his face full of unreadable calculations.

From Literature

Anat opened her eyes, and despite Molly’s best attempts at keeping her face unreadable, she knew from her girlfriend’s smile that she had failed.

From Literature

Under California privacy laws, it should have been shredded or rendered unreadable.

From Los Angeles Times

Nansi’s eyes are bearing into me, but his expression is unreadable.

From Literature

Simon and Penelope suspected that the unreadable diary of the ill-fated trip to Ahwoo-Ahwoo might have described the same voyage taken by Pudge and the admiral, and might even have been written by Pudge himself.

From Literature