interpreting

verb

present participle of interpret
1
as in explaining
to make plain or understandable a biblical passage that scholars haven't been able to interpret to everyone's satisfaction

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in playing
to present a portrayal or performance of interpreted the role of Fletcher Christian in a challengingly new way

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 interpreting This includes interpreting standing rules and precedents, advising on the wording of motions, helping formulate statements, and answering parliamentary inquiries or points of order. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026 Pitch-reading is far from an exact science, and plenty of highly experienced, intelligent players and pundits are completely in the dark about interpreting a 22-yard section of grass. — Ben Jones aug. 26, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 The exhibition is presented at Westwood Contemporary in collaboration with The Wende Museum, a Los Angeles institution focused on preserving and interpreting Cold War history and its continuing relevance. — George Nelson, ARTnews.com, 26 Aug. 2026 Then markets can do their job in interpreting it and putting a price on that. — CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026 Trouble with the way samples are handled or the presence of other medical conditions such as kidney problems or viral illnesses can also lead to confusion with interpreting the results. — Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026 Heard argued the secretary of state is incorrectly interpreting election law to bar replacement candidates from the ballot. — Marissa Payne, Des Moines Register, 22 Aug. 2026 Interiors are a fresh take on classic British West Indies elegance, nodding to the overall aesthetic of Little Palm’s past but re-interpreting it as tropical chic of the present. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Aug. 2026 However, Christopher Valadez, president and CEO of the Grower-Shipper Association of Central California, cautioned against interpreting the latter figure as evidence that California has previously experienced such a collapse in supply. — Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 18 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for interpreting
  1. explaining
  2. playing
  3. clarifying
  4. performing
  5. illustrating
  6. portraying
  7. demonstrating
  8. depicting
Verb
  • The Big Ten early Sunday morning released a statement and video footage explaining the call.
    — Austin Meek, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Restaurant owner Sachiyo Nakato Takahara places noodles, cabbage, onion and tofu into the sizzling, fragrant pot while explaining the significance of the meal, an intimate one typically enjoyed by close friends or family.
    — Nila Roper, AJC.com, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of explaining
Verb
  • Rumors have circulated that Stan may be playing Harvey Dent, the district attorney who eventually becomes the villainous Two-Face and was previously portrayed by Aaron Eckhart, Tommy Lee Jones, and Billy Dee Williams.
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Trout, whose Angels tenure has included seven managers and five heads of baseball operations, will now be playing under a new owner for the first time.
    — Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of playing
Verb
  • The work required clarifying roles and responsibilities, addressing internal conflict, establishing accountability and consistently tracking commitments.
    — Jason Bork, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • All three projects will collectively contribute to better measurements of how cosmic structure is changing over time—crucial information for clarifying the nature of dark energy and dark matter in the universe’s evolution.
    — Lee Billings, Scientific American, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of clarifying
Verb
  • Since January, India's benchmark indexes have been among the worst-performing across major global equity markets.
    — Priyanka Salve, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
  • At this point, the two begin (deep sigh) performing lines from Romeo and Juliet while dressed as the title characters.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of performing
Verb
  • On the walls outside the barracks are dozens of missing persons photos, illustrating the number of those still missing.
    — Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Marc Ellinger, a prominent Missouri GOP attorney, and John Gore, a former Department of Justice official, intervened in the case on behalf of three Republican organizations, illustrating the national implications of Missouri’s map.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of illustrating
Verb
  • Footage from the event showed an actress portraying Nikki screaming at and startling guests.
    — Denis Akbari, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Monroe Mayor Robert Burns, a Republican, seized on Newsom’s visit in a post on X, portraying the California governor’s appearance as evidence that Monroe, and North Carolina, have become politically important enough to draw national attention.
    — Nora O'Neill, Charlotte Observer, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of portraying
Verb
  • Within 24 hours of launch, the team completed the commissioning of the payload, demonstrating how the optics system can support rapid action and decision-making in space operations.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The 2026 midterm elections are also demonstrating how issues that begin as disputes between local governments and residents can spread across the country and become part of national political identities.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of demonstrating
Verb
  • The Rodríguez government has since largely stopped publicly addressing Maduro’s status, while some murals depicting him in Caracas have been painted over in recent months.
    — Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Together, Taro and Capa blaze a trail in war reporting, documenting the Spanish Civil War with photographs depicting the ordinary the men and women who are fighting, the latter inspiring Taro to adopt the blue jumpsuit that became her signature.
    — Damon Wise, Deadline, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of depicting

Browse Nearby Words

interpreters
interpreting
interpretive
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Cite this Entry

“Interpreting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/interpreting. Accessed 7 Sep. 2026.

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