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
Researchers using advanced imaging technology have deciphered 79 previously invisible inscriptions — including love notes, drawings of gladiators, and everyday messages — on a wall in the ancient city of Pompeii, offering a rare window into the lives of ordinary people nearly 2,000 years ago.
—Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
Using this method, researchers deciphered 79 additional inscriptions that had eluded scholars for generations.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
No one had written them down, and the band had to listen to the few tapes that existed and try to decipher his words.
—Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 28 Feb. 2026
Looking through the official tiebreaker rules, the American-Statesman has attempted to decipher the reasoning behind Texas State's seeding.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 28 Feb. 2026
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.
Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
Using this method, researchers deciphered 79 additional inscriptions that had eluded scholars for generations.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
No one had written them down, and the band had to listen to the few tapes that existed and try to decipher his words.
—Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 28 Feb. 2026
Looking through the official tiebreaker rules, the American-Statesman has attempted to decipher the reasoning behind Texas State's seeding.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 28 Feb. 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 14 Mar. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
