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
Families already navigating the stress of a loved one’s declining health now have to decipher care levels, review costs, evaluate dining and activity programs, check safety records, and determine whether leadership turnover could impact quality of care.
—Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
By the end of a muggy night, Cal Raleigh was outside the visiting clubhouse in a small corridor quietly explaining how the Yankees were able to decipher pitches thrown by closer Andres Munoz.
—Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Combination locks offer numerical codes that are often difficult to decipher.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
Air quality alerts: Recommendations from the NWS When an air quality alert pops up on the radar, deciphering its implications is crucial.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decipher
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Sixteen Ramos, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
By the end of a muggy night, Cal Raleigh was outside the visiting clubhouse in a small corridor quietly explaining how the Yankees were able to decipher pitches thrown by closer Andres Munoz.
—Larry Fleisher, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Combination locks offer numerical codes that are often difficult to decipher.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2025
Air quality alerts: Recommendations from the NWS When an air quality alert pops up on the radar, deciphering its implications is crucial.
—Southern California Weather Report, Oc Register, 7 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decipher
Cite this Entry
“Decipher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decipher. Accessed 26 Aug. 2025.
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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