decipher
verb
de·ci·pher
dē-ˈsī-fər 
deciphered; deciphering; deciphers
1
: decode sense 1a
decipher a secret message
2
obsolete
: depict
with her majesty's name deciphered in gold letters—
Jonathan Swift
Jonathan Swift3
a
: to make out the meaning of despite indistinctness or obscurity
trying to decipher her handwriting
b
: to interpret the meaning of
decipher the poem
Examples of decipher in a Sentence
I couldn't decipher his sloppy handwriting.
we deciphered the hidden message to find out when we were supposed to meet
Recent Examples on the Web
The center, which opened in 2022, is responsible for deciphering, and defeating, surreptitious efforts to rig or tilt the American vote.
—David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024
Understanding and deciphering how mantis shrimp repair their cells could have implications in many a field, ranging from cancer treatments to protecting astronauts from cosmic radiation and possibly even reversing some of the effects of aging.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
Schneider, from Stony Brook University, said elementary school educators are now teaching kids how to decipher misinformation and, in at least one Long Island district, the news literacy content is being translated into Spanish for Spanish-speaking students.
—Kayla Jimenez, USA TODAY, 7 Oct. 2024
Spend more time preparing and deciphering what’s important.
—Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 5 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for decipher 
David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024
Understanding and deciphering how mantis shrimp repair their cells could have implications in many a field, ranging from cancer treatments to protecting astronauts from cosmic radiation and possibly even reversing some of the effects of aging.
—Scott Travers, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024
Schneider, from Stony Brook University, said elementary school educators are now teaching kids how to decipher misinformation and, in at least one Long Island district, the news literacy content is being translated into Spanish for Spanish-speaking students.
—Kayla Jimenez, USA TODAY, 7 Oct. 2024
Spend more time preparing and deciphering what’s important.
—Eugenia Last, The Mercury News, 5 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for decipher
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'decipher.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near decipher
Cite this Entry
“Decipher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decipher. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decipher
verb
de·ci·pher
di-ˈsī-fər
1
: to convert into understandable form
especially
: decode
2
: to make out the meaning of despite lack of clearness
decipher sloppy handwriting
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