decode
verb
de·code
(ˌ)dē-ˈkōd 
decoded; decoding; decodes
1
a
: to convert (something, such as a coded message) into intelligible form
b
: to recognize and interpret (an electronic signal)
2
b
: to discover the underlying meaning of
decode the play's imagery
Did you know?
To decode is to take out of code and put into understandable language. (Its opposite is encode, "to put into coded form".) But dreams may sometimes also be decoded; psychologists often try to decode the images of their patients' dreams so as to understand the emotions behind them. And readers must often decode what a novel or story or poem is telling them, which may require two or three readings. Decipher is often a synonym, though we now use it when talking about reading difficult handwriting.
Examples of decode in a Sentence
Readers can easily decode the novel's imagery.
I'm trying to decode the expression on her face.
The box decodes the digital signal for your CD player.
Recent Examples on the Web
The event comes less than a week after Lorde announced her fourth studio album, Virgin, meaning fans have both a lot of music to look forward to as well as ample room to start decoding by way of Easter eggs.
—
Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 6 May 2025
Adventurous guests can book a Red Jeep Tour of the nearby San Andreas Fault, led by naturalists and geologists who decode the desert’s dramatic landscapes.
—Ashlee Marie Preston, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
The singer has, after all, spent most of her career leaving little hints that her fans have decoded.
—Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 29 Apr. 2025
The team now intends to study more magnetars with Hubble in an attempt to decode their origins.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decode
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Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 6 May 2025
Adventurous guests can book a Red Jeep Tour of the nearby San Andreas Fault, led by naturalists and geologists who decode the desert’s dramatic landscapes.
—Ashlee Marie Preston, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
The singer has, after all, spent most of her career leaving little hints that her fans have decoded.
—Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 29 Apr. 2025
The team now intends to study more magnetars with Hubble in an attempt to decode their origins.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 17 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for decode
Cite this Entry
“Decode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decode. Accessed 16 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
decode
verb
de·code
(ˈ)dē-ˈkōd
: to change (as a secret message) from code into ordinary language
decoder
noun
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