English Reference
Adjective

illogical

adj.
B2 Upper Intermediate US /ˌɪˈɫɑdʒɪkəɫ/ UK /ɪlˈɒdʒɪkəl/ il·log·i·cal

adj.not making sense or not following clear thinking. You use this to describe an idea or action that does not have a good reason behind it.

adj.lacking sense or sound reasoning; contrary to the principles of logic. Often used to describe arguments, decisions, or behaviors that fail to follow a rational sequence.


SIMPLE

It is illogical to buy a car if you cannot drive.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager's decision to cut the marketing budget during a sales slump seemed completely illogical to the team.

COMPLEX

While the protagonist's actions may appear illogical at first glance, they are driven by a deep-seated emotional trauma that bypasses rational thought processes.

Usage

Often used predicatively after linking verbs like 'seem', 'sound', or 'be'.

Pitfall
His argument was unlogical.His argument was illogical.

The correct prefix for 'logical' is 'il-', not 'un-'.

I feel slightly envious too, which is illogical.

The Guardian· 9 Sept 2026

From il- + logical.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Occasional
Updated