1
as in to crack
to change (as a secret message) from code into ordinary language
we deciphered the hidden message to find out when we were supposed to meet
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to understand
to have a clear idea of
a convoluted thriller, the plot of which I was never able to actually decipher
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of decipher
Researchers using advanced imaging technology have deciphered 79 previously invisible inscriptions — including love notes, drawings of gladiators, and everyday messages — on a wall in the ancient city of Pompeii, offering a rare window into the lives of ordinary people nearly 2,000 years ago.
—
Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
Using this method, researchers deciphered 79 additional inscriptions that had eluded scholars for generations.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
No one had written them down, and the band had to listen to the few tapes that existed and try to decipher his words.
—Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 28 Feb. 2026
Looking through the official tiebreaker rules, the American-Statesman has attempted to decipher the reasoning behind Texas State's seeding.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decipher
Ryan Brennan, Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2026
Using this method, researchers deciphered 79 additional inscriptions that had eluded scholars for generations.
—Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 9 Mar. 2026
No one had written them down, and the band had to listen to the few tapes that existed and try to decipher his words.
—Mark Richardson, Pitchfork, 28 Feb. 2026
Looking through the official tiebreaker rules, the American-Statesman has attempted to decipher the reasoning behind Texas State's seeding.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 28 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decipher
Recent Examples of Synonyms for decipher
Verb
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These images are perplexing, thrilling—visual nuts to crack.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
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Grout's biggest challenge is cracking from improper installation or too much moisture.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But Heidner also had problems understanding how state government functions.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2026
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Additionally, Fitbit will soon let those on the Public Preview software share their medical records to better understand their overall health.—
James Peckham,
PC Magazine,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Follow your interest, then translate insight into action by choosing a useful resource and mapping clear steps with someone who’s already traveled this path.—
Tarot.com,
New York Daily News,
14 Mar. 2026
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This is much more efficient and powerful than GaAs, which translates to longer detection range, better jamming resistance, and lower power consumption.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Mar. 2026
Verb
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He’s known as someone who could raise the tide of an entire defense based on his football IQ and his propensity for getting his teammates properly aligned.—
Joseph Hoyt,
Dallas Morning News,
20 Mar. 2026
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And as importantly, nobody knows how the political reality will push the actual oil supply.—
Tiana Lowe Doescher,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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After that, Republicans plan to spend days litigating the bill against Democrats before moving to a decisive vote to break a filibuster.—
Burgess Everett,
semafor.com,
17 Mar. 2026
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He was suspected as part of the teenage crew that gained notoriety in January 2025 for breaking into a pair of R trains and moving them at speeds up to 30 mph along a section of express track in Brooklyn.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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It’s believed that Hackman, who had Alzheimer’s disease, continued to live in the home for another week, perhaps unable to comprehend that his wife had dead.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
10 Mar. 2026
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Newhouse Wildlife Rescue put a banana next to the saw-whet owl to help people comprehend its tiny size.—
Breana Pitts,
CBS News,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The goal is to unlock the extreme sensitivity necessary to decode a cell’s full molecular makeup, ultimately accelerating drug development.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
18 Mar. 2026
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These signals are public, so anyone with a relatively cheap receiver and a little bit of know-how can decode the signals to display a plane’s locations digitally.—
Graham Rapier,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In December, Israel became the first country to formally recognize Somaliland — motivated by the territory’s strategic position along the Red Sea as a potential counterweight to Iran and the Houthis, and framed by Netanyahu as being in the spirit of the Abraham Accords.—
Yinka Adegoke,
semafor.com,
20 Mar. 2026
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At the heart of it lies a dispute over the Durand Line, which Afghanistan has never formally recognized as an international border.—
Rabia Akhtar,
The Conversation,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Decipher.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/decipher. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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