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
Yet behind that shine lies a hiring world that often feels closed, complex, and difficult to decode.
—
William Jones, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
The original bill, House Bill 253, would ban teachers from using three-cueing, a method of teaching that encourages students to guess unfamiliar words based on pictures or context clues, rather than decode the words phonetically.
—Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Mar. 2026
The goal is to unlock the extreme sensitivity necessary to decode a cell’s full molecular makeup, ultimately accelerating drug development.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Mar. 2026
These signals are public, so anyone with a relatively cheap receiver and a little bit of know-how can decode the signals to display a plane’s locations digitally.
—Graham Rapier, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for decode
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William Jones, USA Today, 30 Mar. 2026
The original bill, House Bill 253, would ban teachers from using three-cueing, a method of teaching that encourages students to guess unfamiliar words based on pictures or context clues, rather than decode the words phonetically.
—Keely Doll, Louisville Courier Journal, 24 Mar. 2026
The goal is to unlock the extreme sensitivity necessary to decode a cell’s full molecular makeup, ultimately accelerating drug development.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 18 Mar. 2026
These signals are public, so anyone with a relatively cheap receiver and a little bit of know-how can decode the signals to display a plane’s locations digitally.
—Graham Rapier, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Mar. 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 5 Apr. 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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