Meaning & use
interpret
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To decide what something means and understand it in a particular way.
Grammar: Takes an object, often with 'as': interpret the silence as agreement.
Patterns
- interpret something as something
- interpret something correctly
Scientists interpret the data differently.
She interpreted his silence as agreement.
How do you interpret this poem?
verbtransitive or intransitive
To translate spoken words from one language into another as the person speaks.
Grammar: Spoken translation, unlike translate for written text.
Patterns
- interpret for someone
- interpret something into something
She interpreted for the delegates at the summit.
He interprets between Spanish and English at the court.
The guide interpreted the speech for the tourists.
verbtransitivemusic
To perform a piece of music or role in a personal, creative way.
Grammar: Artistic sense.
Patterns
- interpret a role
The pianist interprets Chopin with great delicacy.
The actor interpreted the role in a fresh way.
The dancer interpreted the music with bold movements.
Word forms
| third person singular | interprets |
|---|---|
| past tense | interpreted |
| past participle | interpreted |
| -ing form | interpreting |
Common combinations
- interpret the results
- Doctors interpret the results of the scan.
- interpret as
- Many interpret the gesture as friendly.
- wrongly interpret
- He wrongly interpreted her message.
- interpret the law
- Judges interpret the law.
- interpret data
- Analysts interpret data to find patterns.
- interpret loosely
- The rule can be interpreted loosely.
Synonyms and how they differ
- understand
- Understand is plainer and means grasp, while interpret implies a judgment among possible readings.
- explain
- Explain means making something clear to others, while interpret is working out the meaning yourself.
- translate
- Translate usually refers to written text, whereas interpret is spoken.
- construe
- Construe is formal and suggests a particular reading of words or actions.
Opposites
Word family
- interpretation noun
- an explanation or understanding of meaning
- interpreter noun
- a person who translates speech
- interpretive adjective
- relating to explaining meaning
- misinterpret verb
- to understand wrongly
Commonly confused: interpret or translate?
interpret vs translate
Translate usually concerns written text, while interpret concerns spoken language.
Practice
At the conference, she was hired to ___ the speeches for visitors who spoke no English.
Choose one answer.
Interpret means translating speech orally. Interrupt, intercept and integrate have different meanings.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “interpret”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.