decode
verb
de·code
(ˌ)dē-ˈkōd 
decoded; decoding; decodes
1
a
: to convert (something, such as a coded message) into intelligible form
b
: to recognize and interpret (an electronic signal)
2
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.
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
Worries over aging, about people sweating you for your creative choices, or hoping for words of wisdom to decode the world’s madness, seem like triggers Byrne might well have.
—
Will Hermes, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025
While the sociologist's lens taught her to decode paradigms and human systems, astrophysics invited her to probe cosmology principles and the Universe as a whole.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
The Heston 60 includes both Dolby Atmos and DTS-X decoding in its audio format support, as well as playback of the SBC, LC3, AAC Mpeg4, ALAC, FLAC, LPCM, Ogg Vorbis and WMA/WMA9 audio file formats.
—John Archer, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
The team developed special algorithms to decode brain signals from an EEG cap.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decode
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Will Hermes, Rolling Stone, 4 Sep. 2025
While the sociologist's lens taught her to decode paradigms and human systems, astrophysics invited her to probe cosmology principles and the Universe as a whole.
—Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
The Heston 60 includes both Dolby Atmos and DTS-X decoding in its audio format support, as well as playback of the SBC, LC3, AAC Mpeg4, ALAC, FLAC, LPCM, Ogg Vorbis and WMA/WMA9 audio file formats.
—John Archer, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
The team developed special algorithms to decode brain signals from an EEG cap.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 1 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decode
Cite this Entry
“Decode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decode. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decode
verb
de·code
(ˈ)dē-ˈkōd
: to change (as a secret message) from code into ordinary language
decoder
noun
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