unintelligible
adjective
un·in·tel·li·gi·ble
ˌən-in-ˈte-lə-jə-bəl 
: unable to be understood or comprehended : not intelligible
a song with unintelligible lyrics
unintelligible jargon
… including parenthetical translations of the words and phrases he knew would be unintelligible to contemporary readers.—
John N. Green
John N. GreenExamples of unintelligible in a Sentence
uttered only a string of unintelligible murmurs
Recent Examples on the Web
Despite being grouped together under the Miao umbrella, the four groups have little in common today, and their languages are different enough as to be unintelligible between groups.
—Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Transcribers often complained that the wax recordings were unintelligible—dictators needed to speak directly into the speaking tube, loudly, clearly, and at an appropriate pace, but many did not.
—IEEE Spectrum, 6 Jan. 2026
As last year’s wildfires multiplied, still 0% contained, field reporters — tasked with articulating the unintelligible on camera — grieved alongside Los Angeles in real time.
—Mariella Rudi, Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2026
As satire, Next to Heaven is unintelligible, as though someone is universalizing their own hangups and then skewering them for clout.
—Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unintelligible
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Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 31 Jan. 2026
Transcribers often complained that the wax recordings were unintelligible—dictators needed to speak directly into the speaking tube, loudly, clearly, and at an appropriate pace, but many did not.
—IEEE Spectrum, 6 Jan. 2026
As last year’s wildfires multiplied, still 0% contained, field reporters — tasked with articulating the unintelligible on camera — grieved alongside Los Angeles in real time.
—Mariella Rudi, Los Angeles Times, 5 Jan. 2026
As satire, Next to Heaven is unintelligible, as though someone is universalizing their own hangups and then skewering them for clout.
—Literary Hub, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unintelligible
Cite this Entry
“Unintelligible.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unintelligible. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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