decipher

verb

de·​ci·​pher dē-ˈsī-fər 

deciphered; deciphering; deciphers

transitive verb

1

: decode sense 1a

decipher a secret message

2

obsolete : depict

with her majesty's name deciphered in gold letters

—Jonathan Swift

3

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

decipherable

dē-ˈsī-f(ə-)rə-bəl 

adjective

decipherer

dē-ˈsī-fər-ər 

noun

decipherment

dē-ˈsī-fər-mənt 

noun

Synonyms

• break
• crack
• decode
• decrypt

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

Daboll’s fourth-down decisions were typically hard to decipher. —Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024

Having deep industry and marketing experience allows CMOs to balance both the art and science of marketing to truly decipher how to drive growth. —Roshni Wijayasinha, Forbes, 2 Dec. 2024

Paul has come to think of this period as the beginning of her decades-long attempt to decipher life as it is lived, not as it is schematized by contemporary philosophy. —Alice Gregory, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024

The citizens of Oz believe this savior to be the Wizard, but as is revealed shortly thereafter, the Wizard has lied about his qualifications and only Elphaba is capable of deciphering the book's strange language. —Megan McCluskey, TIME, 22 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1545, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids 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

decipherable

-f(ə-)rə-bəl 

adjective

decipherment

-fər-mənt 

noun