decode

verb

de·​code (ˌ)dē-ˈkōd 

decoded; decoding; decodes

transitive verb

1

a

: to convert (something, such as a coded message) into intelligible form

b

: to recognize and interpret (an electronic signal)

2

a

: decipher sense 3a

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.

Synonyms

• break
• crack
• decipher
• decrypt

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

Talking to a teenager can often feel like trying to decode a secret language. —Miranda Rake, Parents, 9 Sep. 2024

In 2016, the watchdog group Capitol Forum used barcode-scanning technology to decode the postage prices that middlemen were offering small postage buyers. —David Williams, Baltimore Sun, 13 Aug. 2024

As a public broadcaster, our mission is to support creative content that decodes historical events and current affairs to give our audience the keys to understanding the present. —K.j. Yossman, Variety, 11 July 2024

In the horror film, Maika Monroe plays an FBI agent decoding a series of occult clues to track Cage’s serial killer character. —Brian Welk, IndieWire, 1 Aug. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

decode

verb

de·​code (ˈ)dē-ˈkōd 

: to change (as a secret message) from code into ordinary language

decoder noun