scrawls
Illegible hasty marks
Scrawls are instances of hasty, careless handwriting—messy marks that sacrifice legibility for speed.
The word carries a dismissive edge: to call someone's writing scrawls suggests it's barely readable.
As a verb, to scrawl is to write this way: She scrawled a note and left it on the counter.
Graffiti scrawled on walls.
Doctors scrawl prescriptions.
Done with excessive speed
- hastyExcessively quick, ill-considered
- quickMoving with speed
- dash offWrite or leave quickly
- deadlineTime limit for completion
impatient · sloppy · shorthand · note · reminder · jotted · frantic · last-minute
Cannot be deciphered
- indecipherableImpossible to understand
- smudgedBlurred by contact
- blurredIndistinct, lacking clarity
- sloppyCareless and untidy
garbled · messy · cryptic · jumbled · unclear · smear · blot · scratchy
Attaching identifying markers
- spraypaintPressurized pigment in cans
- muralsLarge wall paintings
- vandalismWillful property damage
- tagsIdentifiers for sorting items
stencil · aerosol · subway · underpass · wall · marker · bathroom stall · desk
Writing briefly
- handwritingManual letter formation
- penmanshipSkill of forming letters
- cursiveJoined handwriting style
- scriptWritten words for performance
notation · shorthand · signature · autograph · inscription · manuscript · chicken scratch · hieroglyphics
rushed
Done with excessive speed
deadline · impatient · sloppy · shorthand · note · reminder · jotted · frantic · last-minute · brief
unreadable
Cannot be deciphered
- indecipherableImpossible to understand
- smudgedBlurred by contact
- blurredIndistinct, lacking clarity
sloppy · garbled · messy · cryptic · jumbled · unclear · smear · blot · scratchy · faint
tagging
Attaching identifying markers
- spraypaintPressurized pigment in cans
- muralsLarge wall paintings
- vandalismWillful property damage
tags · stencil · aerosol · subway · underpass · wall · marker · bathroom stall · desk · carving
jotting
Writing briefly
- handwritingManual letter formation
- penmanshipSkill of forming letters
- cursiveJoined handwriting style
script · notation · shorthand · signature · autograph · inscription · manuscript · chicken scratch · hieroglyphics · scroll
sketch
Hasty informal drawing
idle · absent-minded · whimsy · cartoon · caricature · squiggle · loops · swirls · shapes · patterns
scrawlscalligraphy
Ornamental handwriting art
penmanship · copperplate · inscriptions · illuminated text · engravings
- scrawl outWrite messily and quickly