code 1 of 2

noun

ˈkōd How to pronounce code (audio)
Definition of codenext
as in law
a collection or system of rules of conduct Hammurabi was an ancient king of Babylon with a famous code of laws the tax code

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

code

2 of 2

verb

as in to cipher

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of code
Noun
Sacramento City Clerk Mindy Cuppy responded Tuesday to the outbursts by reciting government codes to bring the council meeting to a halt. — Steve Large, CBS News, 30 July 2026 Delta Upsilon was removed from KU’s campus in 2018 after fraternity members were found to have violated the student code by subjecting prospective members to sleep deprivation, physical violence and forced alcohol consumption. — Cuyler Dunn, Kansas City Star, 29 July 2026
Verb
How the genes that encode those proteins are regulated depends on some of the genome that doesn’t code for proteins. — Philip Ball, Quanta Magazine, 18 June 2026 There’s a moment where Kaplan feels like Teddy is coding something about their relationship in the story. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 18 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for code
Recent Examples of Synonyms for code
  1. law
  2. cipher
  3. constitution
  4. encode
  5. encrypt
Noun
  • Taken together, these state laws are building a national regime by accumulation, which is precisely the outcome the industry's federal lobbying push is trying to preempt.
    — Paulo Carvão, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
  • Videos on Iranian social media showed many women at the cafes flouting mandatory veiling laws, and crowds mixing freely.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of law
Verb
  • The real challenge from AI will likely emerge in the weeks and months ahead as firms cipher through Judge Mehta’s enforcement of behavioral requirements.
    — Tor Constantino, Forbes.com, 5 Sep. 2025
  • These remnants, signals from an earlier phase of our human condition, have been endlessly ciphered by generations of archaeologists in the Bears Ears region (which is named for twin buttes near its center).
    — STEPHEN NASH, New York Times, 25 July 2017
Definition of cipher
Noun
  • Democratic leaders say the proposal is intended to clarify the state constitution after a 2022 court ruling struck down Maryland's congressional map.
    — Caroline Foreback, CBS News, 31 July 2026
  • Over the decades, Argentina’s claim on the islands became enshrined in its constitution.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 July 2026
Definition of constitution
Verb
  • Languages also encode values—gender hierarchies baked into pronouns, honorifics that perpetuate caste distinctions—that liberal-minded activists may not be eager to preserve as valuable pieces of linguistic heritage.
    — Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 July 2026
  • One of his leading tenets is that life can be defined by its ability to encode information and replicate it.
    — Keith Cooper, Space.com, 19 July 2026
Definition of encode
Verb
  • But ransomware attacks often secretly infect fleets of computers and servers, and then encrypt all the data, effectively shutting down access.
    — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 16 July 2026
  • Symmetric cryptography, such as AES, encrypts large volumes of data efficiently.
    — Kumar Mehta, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of encrypt

Browse Nearby Words

coddling
code
coded
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Code.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/code. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on code

Nglish: Translation of code for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about code

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

How long is a jiffy?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Dutch Treat and French Leave: Eight Place-Based Compounds

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
asap street sign
Figure Out These Acronyms ASAP You don't have to be a NASA engineer to get these...
See All