decipher
To work out what something difficult or secret means.
decipher in a sentence
- It took Sam an hour to decipher his grandad's scribbly handwriting, but at last he worked out the message.
- The explorers worked all night to decipher the strange symbols carved on the temple wall.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to decipher?
- Adecode
- Bscramble
- Cencode
Show the answer
A: decode. The other three mean the opposite of decipher.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to decipher?
- Acrack
- Bsolve
- Cdecode
- Dencode
Show the answer
D: encode. The other three mean nearly the same as decipher.
Words that mean something similar
decode, solve, crack
Words that mean the opposite
encode, scramble
More words about thinking & learning
- demonstrate: To show clearly how something works, or that it is true.
- determine: To decide something firmly, or to work it out for certain.
- dilemma: A tricky choice between two things, where neither seems right.
- distinguish: To see or show how two things are different.
- dubious: Not sure whether something is true or can be trusted.
- endeavour: To try very hard to do something.
- engrossed: So interested in something that you notice nothing else.
- enlighten: To explain something so that someone understands it clearly.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test