interpret

American  

[in-tur-prit] / ɪnˈtɜr prɪt /

verb (used with object)

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

   to interpret the hidden meaning of a parable.

2. to construe or understand in a particular way.

   to interpret a reply as favorable.

3. to bring out the meaning of (a dramatic work, music, etc.) by performance or execution.

4. 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.

5. to translate orally.

6. 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.

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verb (used without object)

1. to translate what is said in a foreign language.

2. to explain something; give an explanation.

interpret British  

/ ɪnˈtɜːprɪt /

verb

1. (tr) to clarify or explain the meaning of; elucidate

2. (tr) to construe the significance or intention of

   to interpret a smile as an invitation

3. (tr) to convey or represent the spirit or meaning of (a poem, song, etc) in performance

4. (intr) to act as an interpreter; translate orally

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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

• interpretability noun
• interpretable adjective
• interpretableness noun
• interpretably adverb
• noninterpretability noun
• noninterpretable adjective
• preinterpret verb (used with object)
• reinterpret verb
• self-interpreted adjective
• self-interpreting adjective
• uninterpretable adjective
• uninterpreted adjective
• well-interpreted adjective

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.

Example Sentences

Population-level risk increases can be difficult to interpret.

From Science Daily • Apr. 11, 2026

Bankers interpret this as a sign that slightly better-off consumers are absorbing the higher prices, while lower-income customers are increasingly cutting back or seeking cheaper alternatives.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 8, 2026

Any visible disagreement between them would be difficult for markets to interpret.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

"We don't want our teachers to interpret what the kids have written and give them the benefit of the doubt because they know them and they know they're trying hard," she said.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Lying half awake, Descartes tried to interpret his dreams.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton

Related Words

• clarify
• construe
• decipher
• depict
• describe
• enact
• explain
• illustrate
• portray
• read
• solve
• translate
• understand
• view