incomprehensible text

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'incomprehensible text' is correct and usable in written English.
You might use the phrase 'incomprehensible text' to convey that something written is difficult to understand due to it being incoherent, disorganized, or even illegible. For example, "After leaving the crime scene, I took a closer look at the note they had left behind, but it was just a bunch of incomprehensible text."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Mr Chirac sent copies of the entire, largely incomprehensible, text to all French voters.

The Economist

If the people choose to reject the result, should they be blamed or the leaders who tried to sell them such an incomprehensible text?As it happens, there are four weeks to go before the vote in France.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

The one with the least confidence, the one relying on the most secret, incomprehensible texts: Scientology.

The Guardian

Unfortunately, the gluey delivery of Thomas Buckner, the baritone, rendered the text incomprehensible.

The New York Times - Arts

It takes its title from its music, a haunting composition by Kaija Saariaho in which two female voices overlap in whispers, warbles, arcing lines and incomprehensible fragments of text (taken from Sylvia Plath).

The New York Times - Arts

Daoism similarly utilizes coded language, a fact that makes extensive parts of Daoist texts incomprehensible to noninitiates.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"Since moving to London, my romantic life has been characterized by last-minute text messages, incomprehensible drunkards, first-date coke bingers and split bar tabs," Ms. McLaren, who clearly had better luck at home in Canada, wrote in the magazine.

The New York Times

The singers do their best, but, especially in the crucial final scenes, too much of the text is incomprehensible; there are no surtitles in the Barbican theatre, nor, it seems, were any printed copies of the libretto available either.

The Guardian

Thereafter he read Łukasiewicz widely even material in Polish, of which he said 'the symbols are so illuminating that the fact that the text is incomprehensible doesn't much matter'.

SEP

The speaker's text was often incomprehensible, reduced to a series of consonants that became another layer of musical material, and Blaauw's double-voiced trumpet held inscrutable conversations with itself.

The Guardian - Music

On first inspection, these ancient texts are as incomprehensible as a message from another planet.

The New York Times - Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the reason for a text's incomprehensibility, be specific. Instead of simply saying "the text was incomprehensible", explain whether it was due to complex jargon, poor organization, or illegible handwriting.

Common error

Avoid using "incomprehensible text" as a vague descriptor. Provide context or examples to illustrate why the text is difficult to understand. For example, "The legal document contained such dense jargon it was essentially an "incomprehensible text" to anyone without a law degree."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "incomprehensible text" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "incomprehensible" modifies the noun "text". Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage, suggesting it's a standard way to describe writing that's hard to understand.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Encyclopedias

20%

Science

15%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Wiki

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "incomprehensible text" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to describe written material that is difficult or impossible to understand. As Ludwig AI confirms, it adheres to standard English usage. Analysis reveals that the phrase functions as a noun phrase and serves to categorize writing based on its comprehensibility. While "incomprehensible text" appears across diverse sources, including news outlets like The New York Times and encyclopedias, it maintains a neutral register suitable for both formal and informal contexts. When using the phrase, consider providing specific details about what makes the "text" so difficult to understand.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unintelligible writing

Replaces 'incomprehensible' with 'unintelligible' and 'text' with 'writing', focusing on the lack of clarity.

unreadable script

Substitutes 'incomprehensible' with 'unreadable' and 'text' with 'script', emphasizing the inability to decipher the writing.

obscure passage

Replaces 'incomprehensible' with 'obscure' and 'text' with 'passage', highlighting the hidden or unclear nature of the writing.

impenetrable prose

Changes 'incomprehensible' to 'impenetrable' and 'text' to 'prose', stressing the difficulty in understanding the written style.

confusing document

Replaces 'incomprehensible' with 'confusing' and 'text' with 'document', focusing on the disorientation caused by the writing.

garbled message

Substitutes 'incomprehensible' with 'garbled' and 'text' with 'message', emphasizing the distorted and unclear nature of the communication.

jumbled words

Replaces 'incomprehensible' with 'jumbled' and 'text' with 'words', stressing the disorganized arrangement of the writing.

incoherent composition

Changes 'incomprehensible' to 'incoherent' and 'text' to 'composition', highlighting the lack of logical connection in the writing.

nonsensical scribble

Replaces 'incomprehensible' with 'nonsensical' and 'text' with 'scribble', emphasizing the lack of meaning in the writing.

gibberish

Uses 'gibberish' as a single-word substitute, representing completely unintelligible writing.

FAQs

How can I use "incomprehensible text" in a sentence?

You can use "incomprehensible text" to describe any written material that is difficult or impossible to understand. For example: "The ancient inscription was an "incomprehensible text", defying all attempts at translation."

What are some alternatives to "incomprehensible text"?

Some alternatives include "unintelligible writing", "unreadable script", or "obscure passage", depending on the specific reason the text is difficult to understand.

What makes a "text" specifically "incomprehensible"?

A "text" can be "incomprehensible" due to various factors, such as complex language, jargon, poor organization, illegible handwriting, or the use of coded or symbolic language.

Is it redundant to say "incomprehensible text"?

While "incomprehensible" implies a lack of understanding, using it with "text" clarifies that the subject is a piece of writing. The phrase isn't necessarily redundant and can be useful for emphasis or clarity.