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as in nobody
a person of no importance or influence
it was either write the Great American Novel or be consigned to the status of a cipher in the annals of literature
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to figure
to determine (a value) by doing the necessary mathematical operations
were surprised by how much we had spent on the cruise after we had ciphered out the grand total
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cipher
Sarah Weinman, Rolling Stone, 1 Dec. 2024
Ferreira struggles a bit more to find the depth in her role; her character comes off as merely a cipher, a stand-in for an audience similarly positioned as outsiders.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2024
Stephen Nash, New York Times, 25 July 2017
See All Example Sentences for cipher
Noun
For decades, Patricia McGlone was a cipher, a ghost.
—Sarah Weinman, Rolling Stone, 1 Dec. 2024
Ferreira struggles a bit more to find the depth in her role; her character comes off as merely a cipher, a stand-in for an audience similarly positioned as outsiders.
—Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2024
Verb
These remnants, signals from an earlier phase of our human condition, have been endlessly ciphered by generations of archaeologists in the Bears Ears region (which is named for twin buttes near its center).
—Stephen Nash, New York Times, 25 July 2017
See All Example Sentences for cipher
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cipher
Noun
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My memoir was built of gaps, juxtaposition, weird little nothings.—
Cheri Lucas Rowlands,
Longreads,
16 Dec. 2024
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The one whose legs turned nothings into somethings, improvising the Lions’ entire defensive game plan into a pile of ash?—
Sean Keeler,
The Denver Post,
10 Feb. 2024
Noun
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While some men are jumping on board, the most popular of these creators—which range from nobodies doing voiceovers to far-right provocateurs like Candance Owens and Megyn Kelly—are women speaking to other women.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
14 Mar. 2025
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Those free passes were a frequent abuse of the law in the past, and low-profile corporate nobodies got away with them for years.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Barring an offensive rejuvenation, Heyward figures to be a part-time player for a team that continues to seek a more permanent solution in left field.—
Dennis Lin,
New York Times,
26 Mar. 2025
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My only involvement was to track it down, figure it out.—
Lauryn Overhultz,
FOXNews.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The fun of it all becomes also a sort of Agatha Christie-style cat-and-mouse game as George zeroes in individually on his suspects and becomes especially alarmed by a movie ticket tossed in the trash that leads to suspicions Kathryn is keeping things from him.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
6 Mar. 2025
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The clock had not yet hit all zeroes at Super Bowl LIX, but the outcome wasn’t in doubt.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
13 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Emperor tamarins are dwarf monkeys with whiskers that resemble a white moustache.—
Robert Higgs,
cleveland,
1 Feb. 2023
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The dwarf variety grows to be about 5 to 7 feet, ideal for a small garden or accent in a room with limited space.—
Bryce Jones,
Better Homes & Gardens,
24 Jan. 2023
Verb
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Additionally, patients’ out-of-pocket costs are often calculated based on percentages of list prices that are often substantially higher than net prices.—
Joshua P. Cohen,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
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Related Stories Still, the conversion rate—calculated based on the number of site visits that result in a user purchasing something—is still 9 percent lower among consumers using generative AI, as compared with other sources of traffic.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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After knocking out Charles Jourdain in late June, the 27-year-old moved up to lightweight to face hard-hitting Drew Dober on the main card of UFC Denver.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
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The fight card will also see the return to the UFC of featherweight veteran Jeremy Stephens, who steps up to lightweight to take on another UFC returnee, former two-division Cage Warriors champion Mason Jones.—
Simon Head,
Newsweek,
18 Mar. 2025
Verb
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The arrival of quantum computing (i.e., computing that can efficiently solve complex problems using units of information called qubits) threatens to take this to a new level.—
Chaim Mazal,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
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Quantum computing stocks such as D-Wave and Rigetti Computing are hot again.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
17 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cipher.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cipher. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.
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