If you use unreadable to describe a book or other piece of writing, you are criticizing it because it is very boring, complicated, or difficult to understand.
[disapproval]
For some this is the greatest novel in the world. For others it is unreadable.
...unreadable academic treatises.
2. adjective [usually verb-link ADJECTIVE]
If a piece of writing is unreadable, it is impossible to read because the letters are unclear, especially because it has been damaged in some way.
...if contracts are unreadable because of the microscopic print.
The cover was burned half off, the pages charred and unreadable.
3. adjective
If someone's face or expression is unreadable, it is impossible to tell what they are thinking or feeling.
[literary]
He looked back at the woman for approval, but her face was unreadable.
More Synonyms of unreadable
unreadable in British English
(ʌnˈriːdəbəl)
adjective
1.
illegible; undecipherable
2.
difficult or tedious to read
Derived forms
unreadability (unˌreadaˈbility) or unreadableness (unˈreadableness)
noun
unreadably (unˈreadably)
adverb
unreadable in American English
(ʌnˈridəbəl)
adjective
not readable
; specif.,
a.
not legible or decipherable
b.
too dull, difficult, etc. to be read with pleasure, comprehension, etc.
Examples of 'unreadable' in a sentence
unreadable
Books are unreadable as soon as the light of the sun disappears behind the distant mountains.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The ineffable in poetry is almost always the unreadable.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Use staples or sticky tape because glue may make the form unreadable.
The Sun (2009)
Use staples or sticky tape as some glue makes the forms unreadable.
The Sun (2011)
Please use staples or sticky tape as glue can make the form unreadable.
The Sun (2008)
To be fair, adding them would probably have made the book unreadable and certainly unmanageable.
The Times Literary Supplement (2012)
The painting is almost unreadable close up, but when we step back we admire its sheer powers of organisation.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
This book risks being unreadable.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
And this book is unreadable.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
The animal sculptures particularly benefit from this: those that are enigmatic and virtually unreadable in still photographs spring to life when viewed in the round.
The Times Literary Supplement (2013)
1 (adjective)
Definition
too difficult or dull to read
Most computer ads used to be unreadable.
Synonyms
turgid
heavy going
badly written
dry as dust
2 (adjective)
Definition
unable to be read or deciphered
She scribbled an unreadable address on the receipt.
Synonyms
illegible
Incomplete or illegible applications will not be considered.