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
Unlike cuneiform, only about half of proto cuneiform symbols have been deciphered so far.
—Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 6 Nov. 2024
Groups are trying to decipher what the ruling means for other proposals to connect power-hungry data centers with America's single largest source of zero-emissions 24/7 electricity.
—Alan Neuhauser, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
To decipher the speed, look for miles per hour (mph) and cubic feet per minute (cfm) listed in the product description.
—Sandi Schwartz, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Nov. 2024
For decades, scientists have tried to decipher why exactly humans cut lines.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for decipher 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 6 Nov. 2024
Groups are trying to decipher what the ruling means for other proposals to connect power-hungry data centers with America's single largest source of zero-emissions 24/7 electricity.
—Alan Neuhauser, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
To decipher the speed, look for miles per hour (mph) and cubic feet per minute (cfm) listed in the product description.
—Sandi Schwartz, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Nov. 2024
For decades, scientists have tried to decipher why exactly humans cut lines.
—Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for decipher
Dictionary Entries Near decipher
Cite this Entry
“Decipher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/decipher. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share