interpretation

noun

in-ˌtər-prə-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce interpretation (audio)
Definition of interpretationnext
1
as in explanation
a statement that makes something clear that's one possible interpretation of that cryptic remark

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in version
a presentation of an artistic work (as a piece of music) from a particular point of view a sensitive interpretation of a piece that is a touchstone for violinists

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in variation
a distinct treatment of something (as a story or a play) a very Freudian interpretation of The Nutcracker

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 interpretation Nigeria rejected the International Monetary Fund’s finding that the country has engaged in extra-budgetary public spending that distorts its deficit levels, blaming poor interpretation of its financial reporting method for the misunderstanding. — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 10 July 2026 While Prada’s Milan collection offered a contemporary interpretation of skinny jeans the week prior, Acne stayed closer to the style’s 2000s energy with color (black, red and green) and lower rises. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 9 July 2026 The collection also will include baseballs, bats and a limited run of Topps trading cards that promise to feature KAWS’ interpretation of Dodgers and Yankees iconography. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026 Like her fictional interpretation, the real Queen Charlotte had 15 children, 13 of whom survived to adulthood. — Eva Flowe july 8, Charlotte Observer, 8 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for interpretation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for interpretation
  1. explanation
  2. version
  3. variation
  4. illustration
  5. rendition
  6. take
  7. translation
  8. performance
Noun
  • People offered explanations for how their ancestors used the artifacts.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 July 2026
  • The pat explanation for this shift is that people are just too busy, too broke, and too brain-melted to read serious books any more.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 July 2026
Definition of explanation
Noun
  • But Westfalia puts some creativity to work on this version, lifting the bed higher than usual to create a true second level, accessed via three steps.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 July 2026
  • Some of it is just an extreme version of your grandmother who used to futilely pat the bottom of her chin to fix that waddle.
    — Mikey O'Connell, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026
Definition of version
Noun
  • Data center power infrastructure provider Dimaag, for example, presented in April a way to protect the grid from AI’s massive load variations, which can switch from almost nothing to hundreds of megawatts and back again several times per second.
    — Drew Robb, IEEE Spectrum, 16 July 2026
  • The oldest depiction of a dragon-like beast dates back at least 4,000 years, and variations of the mythical creature cross cultures and oceans, appearing in ancient Europe, China, and Mesoamerica.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 15 July 2026
Definition of variation
Noun
  • In a flourish of dramatic irony usually reserved for Greek tragedies and Titanic retellings, the guide opens with an illustration in the style of a CPN, proudly proclaiming the genre’s longevity.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
  • Paint to paper, needle to thread—like couture, fashion illustration is a discipline of the hand.
    — Laird Borrelli-Persson, Vogue, 13 July 2026
Definition of illustration
Noun
  • This rendition of Cats—which recently won three Tony Awards—has frequently been described as the way Cats should have been from the start, and all but the purists will likely agree.
    — Madison Flager, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 July 2026
  • What this rendition of the Miami Heat is missing is a player such as Khris Middleton, the secondary scoring option, who happened to be a clutch shot maker during the Bucks’ championship run.
    — Omar Kelly July 16, Miami Herald, 16 July 2026
Definition of rendition
Noun
  • Cinema United’s take is especially salient given that, in their lawsuit, the state regulators argued that the theatrical market, in particular, would be harmed by a reduction in owners of wide-release, high-grossing films.
    — Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026
  • Only Elliot Anderson has completed more tackles, only Anthony Gordon has completed more take-ons, and only Harry Kane had scored more goals — until Bellingham joined him on six with his double against Norway.
    — Thom Harris, New York Times, 13 July 2026
Definition of take
Noun
  • The operation is expected to create 40 direct jobs and around 150 indirect positions across animation, post-production, sound, translation, distribution, licensing, merchandising and legal services.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 16 July 2026
  • Its catalog includes works of German literature and translations from French English, and Icelandic, notably the work of Nobel Laureate Halldór Laxness.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 16 July 2026
Definition of translation
Noun
  • The Sparks are half a game outside the final playoff spot, not bad given how poor some of their performances have been.
    — Marisa Ingemi, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • Their performance in the third week is a vast improvement from the initial June 11 to June 20 period when hotel occupancy declined on every one of 10 nights when compared to the same period in 2025.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 11 July 2026
Definition of performance

Browse Nearby Words

interpret
interpretation
interpretations
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Interpretation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/interpretation. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on interpretation

Nglish: Translation of interpretation for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 17
See More

Popular

See More

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-detective
Spot the Misspelled Word July 2026 Those little red underlines can't help you now...
See All