decipher

verb

de·​ci·​pher dē-ˈsī-fər How to pronounce decipher (audio)
deciphered; deciphering; deciphers

transitive verb

1
: decode sense 1a
decipher a secret message
2
obsolete : depict
with her majesty's name deciphered in gold lettersJonathan Swift
3
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
decipherable adjective
decipherer noun
decipherment noun

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 The family friend mentioned that the woman had a difficult time deciphering the message, and even went to the internet to seek clarification. Abigail Adams, Peoplemag, 19 Mar. 2024 Why 'New' Emotions Emerge in the Teen Years When children are younger, their emotions are often more on display or easier to decipher by their actions. Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 18 Mar. 2024 They were asked to decipher recordings because investigators couldn’t understand what was being said. Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 7 Mar. 2024 Hard assets like financial models and products aren’t too perplexing to decipher but human emotions can be. Expert Panel®, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Enlarge / Initial rough draft transcription of text deciphered on the scroll. Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 Feb. 2024 With an array of digital marketing channels at their disposal, CMOs must decipher complex datasets to personalize experiences, anticipate trends and optimize marketing strategies in real time. Jonathan Kaufman, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 Teachers asked students to look at a picture to help decipher words or think about the story plot. Jackie Valley, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Feb. 2024 Researchers crafted high-resolution CT scans of four scrolls, and the call-to-action required those involved to decipher four passages of at least 140 characters, with at least 85 percent of characters recoverable. Nicholas Rice, Peoplemag, 10 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'decipher.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1545, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of decipher was in 1545

Dictionary Entries Near decipher

Cite this Entry

“Decipher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decipher. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

decipher

verb
de·​ci·​pher di-ˈsī-fər How to pronounce decipher (audio)
1
: to convert into understandable form
especially : decode
2
: to make out the meaning of despite lack of clearness
decipher sloppy handwriting
decipherable adjective
decipherment noun

More from Merriam-Webster on decipher

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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