Unintelligibly: meaning, definitions and examples

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unintelligibly

 

[ ˌʌnɪnˈtelɪdʒɪbli ]

Adverb
Context #1 | Adverb

speaking or writing

In a way that is not able to be understood; incoherently or incomprehensibly.

Synonyms

garbled, incoherently, incomprehensibly.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

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Word Description / Examples
unintelligibly

Similar to 'unintelligibly', but often used redundantly or for emphasis.

  • The announcement was made so unintelligibly that everyone was confused.
  • He grumbled unintelligibly under his breath.
incoherently

Describes speech or text that lacks logical or consistent structure, often associated with emotions or confusion.

  • She spoke so incoherently that I could barely follow her story.
  • In his panic, he started rambling incoherently.
incomprehensibly

Refers to something that is impossible to understand, often describing complex or foreign concepts.

  • The professor's explanation was so advanced that it was incomprehensibly to most of the class.
  • He whispered so softly and quickly, it was incomprehensibly.
garbled

Used to describe speech or text that is confused and distorted, often making it misleading or difficult to understand.

  • The phone connection was poor, resulting in a garbled message.
  • The email content was garbled, causing confusion.

Examples of usage

  • He mumbled unintelligibly under his breath.
  • The witness spoke unintelligibly due to her nervousness.

Translations

Translations of the word "unintelligibly" in other languages:

🇵🇹 ininteligivelmente

🇮🇳 अस्पष्टता से

🇩🇪 unverständlich

🇮🇩 tak dapat dipahami

🇺🇦 нерозбірливо

🇵🇱 niezrozumiale

🇯🇵 意味不明に

🇫🇷 inintelligiblement

🇪🇸 ininteligiblemente

🇹🇷 anlaşılmaz bir şekilde

🇰🇷 알아들을 수 없게

🇸🇦 بشكل غير مفهوم

🇨🇿 nesrozumitelně

🇸🇰 nezrozumiteľne

🇨🇳 无法理解地

🇸🇮 nerazumljivo

🇮🇸 óskiljanlega

🇰🇿 түсініксіз

🇬🇪 გაუგებრად

🇦🇿 anlaşılmaz şəkildə

🇲🇽 ininteligiblemente

Etymology

The word 'unintelligibly' is derived from the combination of the prefix 'un-' meaning 'not' and 'intelligibly' which comes from the Latin word 'intelligere' meaning 'to understand'. The adverb 'unintelligibly' first appeared in the English language in the early 19th century.

Word Frequency Rank

Ranking #38,405, this word is encountered relatively rarely in everyday English. It might appear in literary works or specialized texts but isn't essential for general communication.