General terms:
* Illegible: This is the most common word and means simply "not able to be read".
* Unreadable: This emphasizes the difficulty of reading the text, but doesn't necessarily imply a messy hand.
* Scrawled: This suggests the writing is messy and rushed.
* Scribbled: Similar to scrawled, this implies hasty and careless writing.
* Messy: This is a general term that describes writing that is not neat or organized.
More specific terms:
* Sloppy: This implies careless writing, possibly with poor spacing or inconsistent letter formation.
* Spidery: This describes writing that is very thin and difficult to decipher.
* Garbled: This refers to writing that is confused and jumbled, making it difficult to understand.
* Indecipherable: This means that the writing is impossible to read, even with effort.
Examples:
* "The doctor's handwriting was illegible, so I couldn't make out the prescription."
* "The student's essay was unreadable due to the constant spelling errors."
* "He scrawled his name on the paper and walked away."
* "The child's drawing was a messy jumble of lines and colors."
The best word to use will depend on the specific situation and the level of difficulty in reading the text.