interpret
verb
in·ter·pret in-ˈtər-prət 
-pət
interpreted; interpreting; interprets
transitive verb
1
: to explain or tell the meaning of : present in understandable terms
interpret dreams
needed help interpreting the results
2
: to conceive in the light of individual belief, judgment, or circumstance : construe
interpret a contract
3
: to represent by means of art : bring to realization by performance or direction
interprets a role
intransitive verb
: to act as an interpreter between speakers of different languages
interpretability
in-ˌtər-prə-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē
noun -pə-tə-
interpretable
in-ˈtər-prə-tə-bəl
adjective -pə-tə-
Synonyms
- clarify
- clear (up)
- construe
- demonstrate
- demystify
- elucidate
- explain
- explicate
- expound
- get across
- illuminate
- illustrate
- simplify
- spell out
- unriddle
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
We need someone to interpret these results for us. How should we interpret the law? I interpreted his behavior to mean that he disliked me. Every actor interprets the role of Hamlet a little differently.
Recent Examples on the Web Avital Ungar is trying to interpret the conflicting signals in real time. 
New York Times, 28 July 2022 The court’s jurisdiction — its power or right to interpret a law — is laid out in Article 3 Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. Haben Kelati, Washington Post, 20 June 2022 Conservative Supreme Court justices, most notably Justice Neil Gorsuch and Chief Justice John Roberts, have described it as incompatible with the judiciary’s duty to interpret the law. Matt Ford, The New Republic, 20 June 2022 Uber, Lyft, and Amazon.com all filed briefs backing Southwest, urging the court not to interpret the law’s exception as covering their workers. Greg Stohr, BostonGlobe.com, 6 June 2022 Biden’s activist agency officials, however, can’t resist the temptation to creatively interpret the law’s terms in order to advance their Build Back Better agenda. Tony Woodlief, National Review, 4 Mar. 2022 Chevron deference is about persuading the courts that an agency’s expertise leaves it best positioned to interpret the law. Benjamin Willis, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2021 The 23-page opinion leaned heavily on originalism, the conservative legal theory that judges should interpret the Constitution based on the way it was understood when it was written. Derek Hawkins, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2022 Other hospitals have created special groups of doctors and lawyers to help interpret new laws and decide when a pregnancy can be legally terminated. New York Times, 23 Aug. 2022 See More
New York Times, 28 July 2022 The court’s jurisdiction — its power or right to interpret a law — is laid out in Article 3 Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution. Haben Kelati, Washington Post, 20 June 2022 Conservative Supreme Court justices, most notably Justice Neil Gorsuch and Chief Justice John Roberts, have described it as incompatible with the judiciary’s duty to interpret the law. Matt Ford, The New Republic, 20 June 2022 Uber, Lyft, and Amazon.com all filed briefs backing Southwest, urging the court not to interpret the law’s exception as covering their workers. Greg Stohr, BostonGlobe.com, 6 June 2022 Biden’s activist agency officials, however, can’t resist the temptation to creatively interpret the law’s terms in order to advance their Build Back Better agenda. Tony Woodlief, National Review, 4 Mar. 2022 Chevron deference is about persuading the courts that an agency’s expertise leaves it best positioned to interpret the law. Benjamin Willis, Forbes, 18 Oct. 2021 The 23-page opinion leaned heavily on originalism, the conservative legal theory that judges should interpret the Constitution based on the way it was understood when it was written. Derek Hawkins, Washington Post, 26 Aug. 2022 Other hospitals have created special groups of doctors and lawyers to help interpret new laws and decide when a pregnancy can be legally terminated. New York Times, 23 Aug. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French interpreter, from Latin interpretari, from interpret-, interpres agent, negotiator, interpreter
First Known Use
14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1
Kids Definition
interpret
verb
in·ter·pret in-ˈtər-prət
interpreted; interpreting
1
: to explain the meaning of
She claims to interpret dreams.
2
: to understand in a particular way
He interpreted Cluny's order as the much-coveted promotion to second-in-command. Brian Jacques, Redwall
Brian Jacques, Redwall3
: to bring out the meaning of
An actor interprets a role.
Legal Definition
interpret
transitive verb
in·ter·pret in-ˈtər-prət
: to explain or tell the meaning of (as a document) especially in order to determine intent
they must interpret the provisions of the Constitution L. H. Tribe
L. H. Tribeinterpreting
verb
1
as in explaining
to make plain or understandable a biblical passage that scholars haven't been able to interpret to everyone's satisfaction Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- explaining
- clarifying
- illustrating
- demonstrating
- construing
- simplifying
- illuminating
- explicating
- elucidating
- analyzing
- expounding
- demystifying
- deciphering
- defining
- spelling out
- resolving
- getting across
- solving
- specifying
- decoding
- unriddling
- disentangling
- clearing (up)
- annotating
- unraveling
- untangling
- glossing
- undoing
- unscrambling
- commentating
- breaking down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- obscuring
- confusing
- clouding
- confounding
- obfuscating
- befogging
2
as in playing
to present a portrayal or performance of interpreted the role of Fletcher Christian in a challengingly new way Synonyms & Similar Words
- playing
- performing
- portraying
- depicting
- doing
- representing
- acting
- impersonating
- enacting
- rendering
- dramatizing
- pantomiming
- imitating
- mimicking
- acting out
- miming
- underplaying
- masquerading
- overplaying
- playacting
- hamming
- clowning
- taking on
- aping
- overacting
- role-playing
- coacting
- posing (as)
- co-acting
- costarring
- co-starring
- starring (in)