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
Yet the sudden ubiquity of this phrase also reveals the extraordinary pressure the young-adult generation feels to decipher a puzzle-like economy that barely rewards their best efforts.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
In total, 16 metrics were deciphered to rank each state under these dimensions, such as shares of children, teens and adults with different vaccinations, people without health insurance, and many others.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Teams of researchers are trying to use AI to decipher these rumbles.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 7 Sep. 2025
Although the collective delicate webbing of Nishikawa’s pieces is difficult to decipher from a distance, the artworks come into sharp focus as guests approach the open white-walled exhibition space.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decipher
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Dave Smith, Fortune, 11 Sep. 2025
In total, 16 metrics were deciphered to rank each state under these dimensions, such as shares of children, teens and adults with different vaccinations, people without health insurance, and many others.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Teams of researchers are trying to use AI to decipher these rumbles.
—Ross Andersen, The Atlantic, 7 Sep. 2025
Although the collective delicate webbing of Nishikawa’s pieces is difficult to decipher from a distance, the artworks come into sharp focus as guests approach the open white-walled exhibition space.
—Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 5 Sep. 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 13 Sep. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share