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
His research into how to decode and monitor brain signals might lead to the next generation of brain implants that allow people to control external devices through their minds.
—
Yue Wang, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
In the years after WWII, the American government hired 100 Black women cryptologists to decode and read Soviet documents — the women were segregated and underpaid, but their work eventually led to the end of the Cold War.
—Michael Schaub, Oc Register, 25 May 2026
Ask direct questions instead of decoding energy shifts.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
The calls obtained by PEOPLE were eventually decoded and presented as evidence in Shirilla's 2023 murder trial.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for decode
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Yue Wang, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
In the years after WWII, the American government hired 100 Black women cryptologists to decode and read Soviet documents — the women were segregated and underpaid, but their work eventually led to the end of the Cold War.
—Michael Schaub, Oc Register, 25 May 2026
Ask direct questions instead of decoding energy shifts.
—Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 21 May 2026
The calls obtained by PEOPLE were eventually decoded and presented as evidence in Shirilla's 2023 murder trial.
—Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 21 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for decode
Cite this Entry
“Decode.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decode. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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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