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
de·ci·pher·ment
dē-ˈsī-fər-mənt
də-
plural -s
1
: the act or process of deciphering
2
: the result of deciphering : plaintext
Examples of decipher in a Sentence
Verb
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
Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 11 June 2026
And yet… Four risqué jokes that Anne had hidden by covering them with brown paper were deciphered by researchers in 2018.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 June 2026
An education tent will provide free education and resources regarding topics from deciphering Title IX to end-of-life care and self-advocacy.
—Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
Armed with an adventure kit, participants are summoned to a secret location where they’re tasked with deciphering cryptic codes, uncovering hidden symbols, navigating shifting alliances and outwit enemies and operatives stationed around the campus.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for decipher
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Verb
What’s more, the back of the painting shows a number code which was deciphered in the project to reveal the year of production—1934.
—Margherita Bassi, Popular Science, 11 June 2026
And yet… Four risqué jokes that Anne had hidden by covering them with brown paper were deciphered by researchers in 2018.
—Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 10 June 2026
An education tent will provide free education and resources regarding topics from deciphering Title IX to end-of-life care and self-advocacy.
—Sophie Lindberg, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2026
Armed with an adventure kit, participants are summoned to a secret location where they’re tasked with deciphering cryptic codes, uncovering hidden symbols, navigating shifting alliances and outwit enemies and operatives stationed around the campus.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 May 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 17 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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