functionally illiterate

American  

[fuhngk-shuhn-uh-lee-i-lit-er-it] / ˈfʌŋk ʃən ə li ɪˈlɪt ər ɪt /

adjective

1. being a functional illiterate; having some schooling but unable to read and write well enough for everyday needs.

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Other Word Forms

• functional illiteracy noun
• functional illiterate noun

Example Sentences

A high number of pupils at the secondary school are "functionally illiterate", meaning they have a reading age well below average when they start Year 7.

From BBC

But Mr Randel said too many pupils in Wales ended up being "functionally illiterate" and many could not access other subjects properly because of poor reading skills.

From BBC

Before he went viral, James rarely spoke about his disability, or the schooling that left him functionally illiterate.

From Los Angeles Times

She's moved to tears as an illiterate Tasmanian man struggles to read a paragraph for the first time, citing that almost 50% of Tasmanian adults are functionally illiterate.

From BBC

When she left school after the fourth grade, she was functionally illiterate.

From Washington Post