as in illegible
incapable of being read or deciphered
after so many years the paper label in the drawer of the antique desk is indecipherable
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Recent Examples of indecipherable
The highway sign was nearly indecipherable beneath layers of stickers and graffiti.
—
Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Two streetlamps engaged in a mute but luminous dialogue, an indecipherable Morse code, alluding to the silent exchanges and secret ciphers of strangers who meet there for their trysts.
—Javier Montes, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
If the manual is indecipherable or nonexistent, which is often the case, a clear YouTube video or online guide can help.
—Larry Magid, Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2025
Niontay’s style—his slurring, nasal voice that sometimes renders bars indecipherable—appears faster, blurrier, and more piercing.
—Benny Sun, Pitchfork, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for indecipherable
Josh Jackson, Los Angeles Times, 5 Feb. 2026
Two streetlamps engaged in a mute but luminous dialogue, an indecipherable Morse code, alluding to the silent exchanges and secret ciphers of strangers who meet there for their trysts.
—Javier Montes, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
If the manual is indecipherable or nonexistent, which is often the case, a clear YouTube video or online guide can help.
—Larry Magid, Mercury News, 25 Dec. 2025
Niontay’s style—his slurring, nasal voice that sometimes renders bars indecipherable—appears faster, blurrier, and more piercing.
—Benny Sun, Pitchfork, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for indecipherable
Recent Examples of Synonyms for indecipherable
illegible
Adjective
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Willimantic Police provided a handwritten log that was inconsistent and sometimes illegible.—
Ginny Monk,
ProPublica,
27 Apr. 2026
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Potier decodes that practically illegible document and creates a 3-D realization that grows from a fantastically complex swirl of interlocking geometries.—
Justin Davidson,
Curbed,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Indecipherable.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/indecipherable. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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