decrypt

[ dee-kript, dih- ]

verb (used with object)

1. to decode or decipher.

decrypt

/ diːˈkrɪpt /

verb

1. to decode (a message) with or without previous knowledge of its key
2. to make intelligible (a television or other signal) that has been deliberately distorted for transmission

Derived Forms

• deˈcryption, noun
• deˈcrypted, adjective

Other Words From

• de·cryption noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of decrypt¹

First recorded in 1935–40; de- + crypt(ogram)

Word History and Origins

Origin of decrypt¹

C20: from de- + crypt, as in cryptic

Example Sentences

By contrast, the FBI rarely decrypts ransomware or arrests the attackers, who are typically based in countries like Russia or Iran that lack extradition agreements with the US.

From MIT Technology Review

In their spare time, they collaborate in finding and decrypting new ransomware strains.

From MIT Technology Review

They download the decryptor, they disassemble it, they reverse-engineer it, and they figure out exactly why we were able to decrypt their files.

From MIT Technology Review

On Wednesday, The Washington Post reported that Colonial didn’t have a plan to pay a ransom to DarkSide to decrypt data files, but on Thursday several other news outlets reported that Colonial did pay to unlock its data.

From Washington Post

Colonial Pipeline has no plan at this point to pay a ransom to decrypt data files, said two people familiar with the matter.

From Washington Post

Only the participants in any given chat have the keys to decrypt and read their own chats.

From The Daily Beast

Assange did not have to decrypt them to share them with The New York Times, The Guardian, and Der Spiegel.

From The Daily Beast

This is because they would be only available in encrypted form and there would be no way for someone like Assange to decrypt them.

From The Daily Beast

No one may be able decrypt its email quickly without its help.

From The Daily Beast

I want you to unlock this phone and then decrypt the files in its memory.

From Project Gutenberg

Tomorrow, we'll bring you back and ask you to decrypt the data on these memory sticks.

From Project Gutenberg

Because if they can decrypt it with your public key, it can only have been encrypted with your private key.

From Project Gutenberg

I'd decrypt it, read it, re-encrypt it with your boss's real public key and send it on.

From Project Gutenberg