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
Richer movement alphabet Ramana Vinjamuri, a professor at UMBC and lead author of the study, has spent more than a decade trying to decode how the brain manages detailed hand control.
—
Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Dec. 2025
Some of the basic molecules used to construct DNA — and RNA, a vital messenger that codes and decodes genetic information — were found in the samples from Bennu, researchers said.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
After years of breadcrumbing, ghosting, and wasting time decoding messages, Gen Z is over the confusion.
—Essence, 3 Dec. 2025
The engineering challenges — decoding noisy signals, reducing latency and ensuring biocompatibility — mirror the complexity of building scalable networks.
—Ascend Agency, Mercury News, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decode
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Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Dec. 2025
Some of the basic molecules used to construct DNA — and RNA, a vital messenger that codes and decodes genetic information — were found in the samples from Bennu, researchers said.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 3 Dec. 2025
After years of breadcrumbing, ghosting, and wasting time decoding messages, Gen Z is over the confusion.
—Essence, 3 Dec. 2025
The engineering challenges — decoding noisy signals, reducing latency and ensuring biocompatibility — mirror the complexity of building scalable networks.
—Ascend Agency, Mercury News, 2 Dec. 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 7 Dec. 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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