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2
as in nobody
a person of no importance or influence
it was either write the Great American Novel or be consigned to the status of a cipher in the annals of literature
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to figure
to determine (a value) by doing the necessary mathematical operations
were surprised by how much we had spent on the cruise after we had ciphered out the grand total
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cipher
Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
Two streetlamps engaged in a mute but luminous dialogue, an indecipherable Morse code, alluding to the silent exchanges and secret ciphers of strangers who meet there for their trysts.
—Javier Montes, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Tor Constantino, Forbes.com, 5 Sep. 2025
An Enigma ciphering machine that was donated to the museum by telecommunications company SIRTI.Photo: Cantalupi, Pavia
One of the artifacts from SIRTI collection was a German ciphering machine used in World War II, an Enigma, Savini says.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Feb. 2020
See All Example Sentences for cipher
Noun
Like Dostoyevsky, Capote doesn’t portray his killers as demonic ciphers, instead capturing their messy complexity.
—Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026
Two streetlamps engaged in a mute but luminous dialogue, an indecipherable Morse code, alluding to the silent exchanges and secret ciphers of strangers who meet there for their trysts.
—Javier Montes, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026
Verb
The real challenge from AI will likely emerge in the weeks and months ahead as firms cipher through Judge Mehta’s enforcement of behavioral requirements.
—Tor Constantino, Forbes.com, 5 Sep. 2025
An Enigma ciphering machine that was donated to the museum by telecommunications company SIRTI.Photo: Cantalupi, Pavia
One of the artifacts from SIRTI collection was a German ciphering machine used in World War II, an Enigma, Savini says.
—IEEE Spectrum, 11 Feb. 2020
See All Example Sentences for cipher
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cipher
Noun
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When Dana, who, like Virginia, had been successful in writing pleasant but undistinguished nothings—in her case, songs for Billy Rose’s revues—decided to try taking on more serious music by studying with Boulanger, Virginia entered a deep downward spiral.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Jan. 2026
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Why did her mom press so hard for the littlest of nothings?—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
4 Dec. 2025
Noun
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After all, why listen to a podcast with two nobodies co-hosting when a listener can get an hour from a familiar celebrity.—
Frank Racioppi,
Forbes.com,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Seattle’s John Schneider and New England’s Eliot Wolf rose up from young nobodies to graduate from Green Bay Packers University, too.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
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Before ChatGPT, about one in three successfully figured it out, independently connecting pretty potent dots for scientific thinking rather than passively absorbing another fact.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
13 Apr. 2026
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Lutz Kilian, director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas’ Center for Energy and the Economy, figures that 5 million daily barrels can either be rerouted from the Persian Gulf to the Red Sea or continue to transit through the Strait of Hormuz.—
Paul Wiseman,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
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And these worlds aren’t even real, just ones and zeros merged to form a network of communication that sometimes feels like incoherent gibberish.—
Brandon Kaipo Moningka,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Apr. 2026
-
As the clock reached zeroes, an emotional UCLA head coach Cori Close, a former Milpitas High star, embraced with South Carolina coach Dawn Staley and the rest of the team celebrated the win.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
When choosing vegetables to plant in containers, look for dwarf or compact varieties.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Regretfully, some plants damaged the most were the colorful dwarf schefflera, crotons, ti plants and similar.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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More than 2,000 places set monthly records for heat — harder to break than daily records — Walton calculated.—
Seth Borenstein,
Fortune,
9 Apr. 2026
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The slide goes on to calculate that 1,000 hours worth of payments for an aide working more than 700 hours a year totals about $15,690 each.—
Alice Yin,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Noun
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While the Canadian brand produces specific models intended for everything from hiking to mountain climbing, among its more versatile pieces is the Ossa jacket, made from a lightweight, UPF 50+ nylon ripstop shell and designed with a zip-out hood.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
13 Apr. 2026
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Brandi is a top zip crossbody with a fold over front flap secured with a magnetic closure.—
Tory Johnson,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Every spring packing list should include a jacket, like this lightweight, pillowy layer that will keep you warm on chilly spring days.—
Destinee Scott,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Apr. 2026
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Prepare for spring’s unpredictable weather with this lightweight, easy-to-layer cardigan.—
Emily Weaver,
PEOPLE,
4 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cipher.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cipher. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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