decipher
verb
de·ci·pher
dē-ˈsī-fər 
deciphered; deciphering; deciphers
1
: decode sense 1a
decipher a secret message
2
obsolete
: depict
… with her majesty's name deciphered in gold letters …—
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift3
a
: to make out the meaning of despite indistinctness or obscurity
trying to decipher her handwriting
b
: to interpret the meaning of
decipher the poem
Examples of decipher in a Sentence
I couldn't decipher his sloppy handwriting.
we deciphered the hidden message to find out when we were supposed to meet
Recent Examples on the Web
As the inscription had been damaged, researchers couldn’t decipher whether this tablet had cursed four slaves or whether four slaves had cried out to the Egyptian gods and demi-heroes, who knows?
—Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 20 June 2026
The signature was deciphered with the help of AI, and specialists at auction house Lyon & Turnbull were able to confirm that Cadell was the artist.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 20 June 2026
Among the finds are a 4th-century coin bearing the face of Emperor Constantine, as well as medieval pottery fragments bearing markings archaeologists have not yet deciphered.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026
The pair often spent time trying to decipher the strange fossil.
—Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for decipher
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Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 20 June 2026
The signature was deciphered with the help of AI, and specialists at auction house Lyon & Turnbull were able to confirm that Cadell was the artist.
—Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 20 June 2026
Among the finds are a 4th-century coin bearing the face of Emperor Constantine, as well as medieval pottery fragments bearing markings archaeologists have not yet deciphered.
—Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 19 June 2026
The pair often spent time trying to decipher the strange fossil.
—Sarah Durn, Popular Science, 18 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for decipher
Cite this Entry
“Decipher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decipher. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decipher
verb
de·ci·pher
di-ˈsī-fər
1
: to convert into understandable form
especially
: decode
2
: to make out the meaning of despite lack of clearness
decipher sloppy handwriting
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