# decryption

/dɪkɹˈɪpʃən/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/decryption
Updated: 2026-10-19

## Definition

turning secret coded text back into normal text you can read. You need a key or password to do it, like when you open a secure message.

For teachers: conversion of encrypted data or ciphertext back into readable plaintext, typically using a key or algorithm.

## Examples

- Decryption turns the secret message back into normal words.
- After downloading the secure file, she enters her password and the decryption takes only a few seconds.
- The journalist relied on expert decryption of the leaked archive to recover readable documents from thousands of encrypted files.

## Synonyms

decoding

## Antonyms

encryption

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