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Showing results for functionally illiterate. Search instead for Functionally+Illiterate+Americans.

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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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.

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 • Jul. 17, 2024

Fourteen percent of our adult population is functionally illiterate.

From New York Times • Mar. 12, 2020

Under this loophole, functionally illiterate children can still promote to the fourth grade without learning to read.

From Washington Times • May 8, 2018

Most were functionally illiterate, self-taught and inclined to secrecy.

From Washington Post • Feb. 9, 2018

About 70 percent of people with criminal records did not complete high school, and according to at least one study, about half are functionally illiterate.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

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