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
Instead of administrators spending countless hours deciphering page after page of information and increasing risk of errors being made, AI agents are powering document capture for a better, more efficient way to work.
—Navaneeth Nair, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
In early May, the Vesuvius Challenge announced that contestants Marcel Roth and Micha Nowak, computer scientists at Germany’s University of Würzburg, would receive $60,000 for deciphering the title.
—Ellen Wexler, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025
The team plans to implement these findings into other applications that could help more accurately detect breast cancer and decipher who is more at risk.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 13 May 2025
Here are our picks for cold, wet days—plus expert tips on deciphering product specs.
—Scott Gilbertson, Wired News, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for decipher
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Navaneeth Nair, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
In early May, the Vesuvius Challenge announced that contestants Marcel Roth and Micha Nowak, computer scientists at Germany’s University of Würzburg, would receive $60,000 for deciphering the title.
—Ellen Wexler, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025
The team plans to implement these findings into other applications that could help more accurately detect breast cancer and decipher who is more at risk.
—Monica Cull, Discover Magazine, 13 May 2025
Here are our picks for cold, wet days—plus expert tips on deciphering product specs.
—Scott Gilbertson, Wired News, 11 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for decipher
Cite this Entry
“Decipher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decipher. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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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