Illegibility

Illegibility refers to the quality or state of being difficult or impossible to read due to poor handwriting, faded print, damage to a document, or unclear formatting. It renders text unreadable or decipherable only with great difficulty, often leading to confusion or misinterpretation. This can stem from a lack of clarity in the characters, smudged ink, or a chaotic arrangement of words and symbols. It's a significant barrier to effective communication, as the intended message is lost or obscured.

Illegibility meaning with examples

• The doctor's prescription was a notorious example of illegibility, forcing the pharmacist to spend several minutes deciphering the scribbled instructions. The pharmacist had to squint at the prescription and still was unsure of what the doctor intended and had to call to clarify the drug dosage.
• Due to water damage, the historical document exhibited widespread illegibility; large portions of the text were washed away, making it impossible for researchers to understand the details of the event.
• The ancient manuscript presented a severe case of illegibility; the faded ink and intricate, archaic script meant that only specialists could even attempt to translate a few words. Decoding the meaning was a major research project.
• The photocopied contract displayed significant illegibility; the low resolution and poor contrast caused by the copier's failure made many sections of the document unreadable, thus compromising its legal validity.