read between the lines

Cultural  

1. To pay attention to what is implied in writing or in speech.

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read between the lines Idioms  

1. Perceive or detect a hidden meaning, as in They say that everything's fine, but reading between the lines I suspect they have some marital problems. This term comes from cryptography, where in one code reading every second line of a message gives a different meaning from that of the entire text. [Mid-1800s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

read between the lines

He reduces Bourdain to a zygote who simply needed enough nurturing to become his older, cooler self, when he could, instead, read between the lines to find what makes young Tony special.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026

No matter which internet service provider you choose, it’s important to read between the lines of the marketing language and promotional rates.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 7, 2026

"I can read between the lines, bro," he said.

From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026

As in the book, Bobo’s take on things is blunt and chipper and usually wrong; we’re entrusted to read between the lines.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 10, 2025

There are letters to the editor from people all over Ireland claiming they heard the first cuckoo of the year and you can read between the lines that people are calling each other liars.

From "Angela's Ashes: A Memoir" by Frank McCourt