decipher
verb (used with object)
to make out the meaning of (poor or partially obliterated writing, etc.).
deciphered
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past participleof decipher.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
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past tense formof decipher.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
decipherverb (used with object)to make out the meaning of (poor or partially obliterated writing, etc.).
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The signature in the upper right of the picture was deciphered using AI and specialists at the auction house Lyon & Turnbull were able to confirm the artist as Francis Campbell Boileau Cadell.
From BBC ● Jun. 5, 2026
For decades, they remained largely untouched, but researchers have now deciphered them, uncovering texts that range from magical rituals to royal records and everyday administrative notes.
From Science Daily ● May 5, 2026
But the point for Kagan in bringing up this legislative history was merely to provide “yet more proof” of statutory meaning already deciphered through “straight-up statutory construction.”
From Slate ● Mar. 4, 2026
The data turned out to be essential to cracking the case, the people said, a breakthrough that happened only recently when a tech-savvy law-enforcement officer wrote a new computer program that finally deciphered the information.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 14, 2025
Kyle spread out the remaining cookies in his palm: U N F E H A V. He grinned as he deciphered an easy anagram.
From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein
