Synonyms

interpret

American

[in-tur-prit] / ɪnˈtɜr prɪt /

verb (used with object)

to give or provide the meaning of; explain; explicate; elucidate.

to interpret the hidden meaning of a parable.
to construe or understand in a particular way.

to interpret a reply as favorable.
to bring out the meaning of (a dramatic work, music, etc.) by performance or execution.
to perform or render (a song, role in a play, etc.) according to one's own understanding or sensitivity.

The actor interpreted Lear as a weak, pitiful old man.
to translate orally.
Computers.
1. to use an interpreter to transform (a program written in a high-level language) into a sequence of machine actions, one statement at a time, executing each statement immediately before going on to transform the next one.
2. to read (the patterns of holes in punched cards) with an interpreter, printing the interpreted data on the same cards so that they can be read more conveniently by people.

verb (used without object)

to translate what is said in a foreign language.
to explain something; give an explanation.

interpret British

/ ɪnˈtɜːprɪt /

verb

(tr) to clarify or explain the meaning of; elucidate
(tr) to construe the significance or intention of

to interpret a smile as an invitation
(tr) to convey or represent the spirit or meaning of (a poem, song, etc) in performance
(intr) to act as an interpreter; translate orally

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Usage

What are other ways to say interpret?

To interpret is to give or provide the meaning of something, or to construe or understand something in a particular way. What’s the difference between interpret, elucidate, expound, and explain? Find out on Thesaurus.com.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of interpret

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English interpreten, from Latin interpretārī, derivative of interpret-, stem of interpres “explainer”

Explanation

When you interpret something, you make sense of it. You could interpret a graph, a foreign language, or even Mona Lisa's odd smile. If you're ordering food in a foreign land, you may need someone to interpret the menu for you. When you get tripped up or struggle to understand a subject even in your own language — like calculus, for example — sometimes you can find meaning, or interpret it for yourself. Or sometimes you'll need a teacher to work on the problem with you, showing how to interpret the mathematical language.

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Vocabulary lists containing interpret

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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.

See Examples For:

interpret interprets interpreted interpreting

“The author’s intentions mean something, but everyone is free to interpret things their own way.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

The analysts tell clients in a note that they view any signals as directional only, and interpret the read-through with caution.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

Some unironic astrology: To celebrate Slate’s 30th birthday, Slate writer Heather Schwedel asked several astrologers to interpret the magazine’s birth chart.

From Slate ● Oct. 13, 2026

Not all forecasters use the same scale to interpret El Nino.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

Red had waited too long to interpret Toomer’s harrowing walk down the center of the bus.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

The new chair has made a point of not providing his own economic forecasts or discussing how he interprets the most recent economic data.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 27, 2026

What those commitments are - and how Iran interprets them - will help determine whether this deal sticks.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026

AI software the company calls Hyperintuition interprets your movements to deliver the right force.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026

The device detects that change and interprets it as a touch.

From Science Daily ● Mar. 26, 2026

But they also light up when the brain interprets something as pleasurable, even if the behavior doesn’t appear to have the survival value of, say, eating or procreating.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

"At the same time, the warning could be interpreted as stopping short of completely foreclosing inter-Korean dialogue: essentially telling Seoul not to interfere unless it has something substantial to offer."

From Barron's ● Oct. 8, 2026

“The investigation remains active and ongoing, and this preliminary assessment should not be interpreted as a final determination of the circumstances surrounding his death,” the department said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2026

“Markets interpreted the communication overall as a dovish signal,” said Antti Ilvonen, senior fixed income and FX analyst at Danske Bank, in a note.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

Critics interpreted the statue as a commentary on the consequences of blind allegiance to symbols.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026

Julius knew that sound, he had once or twice interpreted it for Aurelia: “Now listen to him! He’s saying, I’m not happy, I’m bewildered, reassure me!”

From "Tiger, Tiger" by Lynne Reid Banks

Alan Mandell, an award-winning actor, arts patron and arts administrator, was best known for co-founding the San Quentin Drama Workshop and interpreting the plays of Samuel Beckett.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 15, 2026

They are also particularly interesting to geneticists because some have evolved unusual ways of interpreting DNA instructions.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 8, 2026

"Accept that their facial expression may mean anything, and distract yourself internally from interpreting these facial expressions."

From BBC ● Oct. 5, 2026

"Our study thus underscores the transformative role of breath-based interventions. The interplay between breathing and cardiac dynamics makes the brain more receptive to rewards," explains lead author Wenhao Huang, interpreting the results.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 4, 2026

The church hierarchy consisted of a priest, whose duties included interpreting dreams.

From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023