What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
decrypted
Example
The spy decrypted the enemy's secret message using a special codebook. [decrypted: verb]
Example
The IT specialist was able to decrypt the password-protected file. [decrypt: past tense]
decode
Example
The detective was able to decode the criminal's hidden message using his knowledge of ciphers. [decode: verb]
Example
The student struggled to decode the professor's complex lecture on quantum mechanics. [decode: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Decode is more commonly used than decrypted in everyday language. Decode is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while decrypted is less common and typically used in technical or specialized fields.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between decrypted and decode?
Both decrypted and decode can be used in formal and informal contexts, but decrypted may be more commonly used in technical or specialized fields, making it more formal in those contexts.
