unintelligible
unintelligible — adjective
1. When speech, writing, or another sound is described as unintelligible, it means
When speech, writing, or another sound is described as unintelligible, it means nobody can understand it at all — the words, meaning, or message are completely lost, usually because the sound is unclear, the handwriting is bad, or the language is unfamiliar.
Diego found the delivery driver's note almost unintelligible, but he read the apartment number.
collocation: almost unintelligible
Aoi's recording of the lecture was unintelligible because of background noise from the construction site.
pattern: unintelligible because of [obstacle]
To Christopher, the rapid Cantonese conversation between the two chefs was entirely unintelligible.
Romi tried to contact the harbour master, but the weak radio signal made his message unintelligible.
- incomprehensible
More formal; can describe abstract concepts or behaviour, not just speech and writing
- indecipherable
Specifically for handwriting, codes, or markings that cannot be read
- garbled
Informal; describes distorted speech or data, especially after transmission
- unclear
Much milder; means hard to follow but not necessarily impossible
- intelligible
Direct opposite; clear enough to be understood
- clear
General opposite; easy to understand or follow
文法句型
be + unintelligible
unintelligible + noun
unintelligible to + person
用法筆記
Frequently modified by intensifying adverbs such as completely, almost, or entirely. The cause of unintelligibility — noise, poor articulation, or unfamiliar language — is typically introduced by because of or due to. When specifying the person who cannot understand, use to (e.g. 'unintelligible to the audience').