Synonyms of cipher

cipher 1 of 2

noun

ˈsī-fər 

1

as in nothing

the numerical symbol 0 or the absence of number or quantity represented by it

remember to put the cipher after the decimal point

Synonyms & Similar Words

• nothing
• zero
• zip
• nil
• aught
• naught
• goose egg
• oh
• blank
• o
• zilch
• void

2

as in nobody

a person of no importance or influence

it was either write the Great American Novel or be consigned to the status of a cipher in the annals of literature

Synonyms & Similar Words

• nobody
• dwarf
• lightweight
• insect
• number
• zero
• nothing
• nonentity
• puppet
• twerp
• half-pint
• whippersnapper
• inferior
• nullity
• morsel
• zilch
• insignificancy
• snippersnapper
• pip-squeak
• pygmy
• no-name
• obscurity
• least
• reject
• nonperson
• figurehead
• noncelebrity
• outcast
• mediocrity
• pariah
• unperson

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• personage
• figure
• somebody
• eminence
• nabob
• magnate
• kingpin
• big wheel
• chief
• VIP
• leader
• head
• lead
• personality
• star
• celebrity
• planet
• notable
• bigwig
• kahuna
• luminary
• authority
• superstar
• big shot
• power
• superior
• party
• great power

cipher

2 of 2

verb

as in to figure

to determine (a value) by doing the necessary mathematical operations

were surprised by how much we had spent on the cruise after we had ciphered out the grand total

Synonyms & Similar Words

• figure
• calculate
• compute
• measure
• estimate
• work out
• sum
• assess
• figure out
• add
• subtract
• add up
• evaluate
• multiply
• reckon
• divide
• number
• gauge
• count
• average
• solve (for)
• allow (for)
• scale
• total
• totalize
• factor (in or into or out)
• deduct
• figure in
• rate
• tally
• value
• itemize
• appraise
• calibrate
• recompute
• recalculate
• refigure

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of cipher

Noun

Like Dostoyevsky, Capote doesn’t portray his killers as demonic ciphers, instead capturing their messy complexity. —Patrick Radden Keefe, New Yorker, 11 Jan. 2026

Two streetlamps engaged in a mute but luminous dialogue, an indecipherable Morse code, alluding to the silent exchanges and secret ciphers of strangers who meet there for their trysts. —Javier Montes, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2026

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

An Enigma ciphering machine that was donated to the museum by telecommunications company SIRTI.Photo: Cantalupi, Pavia One of the artifacts from SIRTI collection was a German ciphering machine used in World War II, an Enigma, Savini says. —IEEE Spectrum, 11 Feb. 2020