Definition and Usage of Garbled | Generated by AI
Question: What does “garbled” mean?
Answer:
“Garbled” is an adjective that describes something that is confused, distorted, or mixed up in a way that makes it difficult to understand or recognize clearly.
Common Meanings and Uses:
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In communication or transmission: Information (especially speech, text, or data) that has become jumbled or corrupted, often due to errors or interference.
Example: “The radio message was garbled because of static.” -
In language or speech: Words or sounds that are unclear, muddled, or incorrectly reproduced.
Example: “He spoke in a garbled voice after the anesthesia.” -
In general sense: Anything confused or distorted.
Example: “The report contained garbled facts and misinformation.”
The word originates from the idea of mixing or scrambling things (historically related to sorting spices or sifting), but today it primarily means distorted or unintelligible.