encrypt

verb

en·​crypt in-ˈkript How to pronounce encrypt (audio)
en-
encrypted; encrypting; encrypts

Examples of encrypt in a Sentence

The software will encrypt the message before it is sent.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Cloud platforms offer high availability, but if your data is encrypted by ransomware, synced copies just replicate the damage. Faizan Mustafa, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025 Emails sent from Proton Mail accounts will be end-to-end encrypted. Chiara Eisner, NPR, 21 May 2025 Other functions include compressing PDF files to reduce file size, encrypting documents with password protection, and adding or removing watermarks. Stackcommerce Team, PC Magazine, 21 May 2025 What’s left is like a digital barcode for your eyeball that’s encrypted, split into pieces, and scattered across a decentralized network, kind of like a glitter bomb. Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for encrypt

Word History

Etymology

en- entry 1 + -crypt (in cryptanalysis, cryptogram), perhaps after decrypt

First Known Use

1944, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of encrypt was in 1944

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Encrypt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/encrypt. Accessed 5 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

encrypt

verb
en·​crypt
in-ˈkript
: to change (information) from one form to another especially to hide its meaning
encrypt the message
encryption
-ˈkrip-shən
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on encrypt

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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