decode

verb

de·​code (ˌ)dē-ˈkōd 

decoded; decoding; decodes

transitive verb

1

a

: to convert (something, such as a coded message) into intelligible form

b

: to recognize and interpret (an electronic signal)

2

a

: decipher sense 3a

b

: to discover the underlying meaning of

decode the play's imagery

Did you know?

To decode is to take out of code and put into understandable language. (Its opposite is encode, "to put into coded form".) But dreams may sometimes also be decoded; psychologists often try to decode the images of their patients' dreams so as to understand the emotions behind them. And readers must often decode what a novel or story or poem is telling them, which may require two or three readings. Decipher is often a synonym, though we now use it when talking about reading difficult handwriting.

Synonyms of decode

• decipher

Examples of decode in a Sentence

Readers can easily decode the novel's imagery.

I'm trying to decode the expression on her face.

The box decodes the digital signal for your CD player.

Recent Examples on the Web

The Seven-Sins Paradigm The last generation of products decoded the brain in order to bypass the brain. — Regan Peng, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026

Social media is her primary source of information, whether deciding where to go on a Saturday night, whom to vote for, or decoding events in a war zone. — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 20 July 2026

Yamal, who turned 19 on Monday, is not one of those players whose talent needs decoding. — Jack Lang, New York Times, 18 July 2026

Knowing which inputs drive the answer—and which assumptions deserve a closer look—is enough to decode a surprising amount of the financial world. — Bydoug Ashburn, Encyclopedia Britannica, 15 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for decode

• abode
• anode
• barcode
• bestowed
• boatload
• borrowed
• carload
• caseload
• cathode
• commode
• corrode
• crossroad

Kids Definition

decode

verb

de·​code (ˈ)dē-ˈkōd 

: to change (as a secret message) from code into ordinary language

decoder noun