illiteracy
noun
il·lit·er·a·cy
(ˌ)i(l)-ˈli-t(ə-)rə-sē 
plural illiteracies
1
: the quality or state of being illiterate
especially
: inability to read or write
2
: a mistake or crudity (as in speaking) typical of one who is illiterate
Examples of illiteracy in a Sentence
the government's efforts to reduce illiteracy
His letters contain many misspellings and illiteracies.
Recent Examples on the Web
But social media and polarized politics are exposing it at industrial scale, fueled by a poisonous cocktail of bad actors, media illiteracy and plummeting trust in traditional news.
—
Zachary Basu, Axios, 19 Oct. 2024
What does McMahon see as the root causes of such illiteracy?
—Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Stubborn circumstances Chronically absent students are at higher risk of illiteracy and eventually dropping out.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2024
His administration was also very successful in that under his term consumer prices only rose at just .4%, the nation’s wealth increased by 17.5%, the national debt was cut in half, unemployment stood at 3.6% and illiteracy fell by almost 50%.
—Maritza Dominguez, The Arizona Republic, 9 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for illiteracy 
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Zachary Basu, Axios, 19 Oct. 2024
What does McMahon see as the root causes of such illiteracy?
—Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes, 1 Oct. 2024
Stubborn circumstances Chronically absent students are at higher risk of illiteracy and eventually dropping out.
—Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 15 Aug. 2024
His administration was also very successful in that under his term consumer prices only rose at just .4%, the nation’s wealth increased by 17.5%, the national debt was cut in half, unemployment stood at 3.6% and illiteracy fell by almost 50%.
—Maritza Dominguez, The Arizona Republic, 9 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for illiteracy
Dictionary Entries Near illiteracy
Cite this Entry
“Illiteracy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/illiteracy. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
illiteracy
noun
il·lit·er·a·cy
(ˈ)il-ˈ(l)it-ə-rə-sē
-ˈ(l)i-trə-sē
plural illiteracies
1
: the quality or state of being illiterate
especially
: inability to read or write
2
: a mistake made by or typical of an illiterate person
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