code 1 of 2

noun

ˈkōd How to pronounce code (audio)
Definition of codenext
as in law
a collection or system of rules of conduct Hammurabi was an ancient king of Babylon with a famous code of laws the tax code

Synonyms & Similar Words

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code

2 of 2

verb

as in to cipher

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of code
Noun
But critics say the code is difficult to implement, unworkable in practice and could lead to discrimination against trans people. — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 6 Aug. 2026 The future of software security will not be defined by who ships the most code. — Varun Badhwar, Forbes.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
Amirzadeh’s Early Life and Career At just eleven years old, Amirzadeh taught himself to code over three weeks and delivered a website for a nonprofit. — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 22 July 2026 Vibe coders and software engineers will run multiple coding agents for hours at a time, racking up monthly bills in the thousands of dollars. — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for code
Recent Examples of Synonyms for code
  1. law
  2. cipher
  3. constitution
  4. encode
  5. encrypt
Noun
  • Taken together, these state laws are building a national regime by accumulation, which is precisely the outcome the industry's federal lobbying push is trying to preempt.
    — Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Videos on Iranian social media showed many women at the cafes flouting mandatory veiling laws, and crowds mixing freely.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of law
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
  • These remnants, signals from an earlier phase of our human condition, have been endlessly ciphered by generations of archaeologists in the Bears Ears region (which is named for twin buttes near its center).
    — STEPHEN NASH, New York Times, 25 July 2017
Definition of cipher
Noun
  • According to the constitution, if the presidential office becomes vacant, the prime minister will become acting president until an election is held.
    — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Under the North Korean constitution promulgated in 1998, that title remains his indefinitely.
    — Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of constitution
Verb
  • Now a team in China has managed to encode that formula into a physical system and explore its workings using a quantum computer.
    — Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Languages also encode values—gender hierarchies baked into pronouns, honorifics that perpetuate caste distinctions—that liberal-minded activists may not be eager to preserve as valuable pieces of linguistic heritage.
    — Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
Definition of encode
Verb
  • Only Fortitude could be accessed by thieves, solely due to the production company’s failure to encrypt the drive, the spokesperson alleged.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 31 July 2026
  • The goal is to encrypt a message so that someone who gets hold of it cannot split it into two usable versions that both reveal the message once the decrypting key is known.
    — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 31 July 2026
Definition of encrypt

Browse Nearby Words

coddling
code
coded
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Cite this Entry

“Code.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/code. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on code

Nglish: Translation of code for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about code

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