The correct option closest in meaning to the word "DECIPHER" is: decode

"Decode" and "decipher" share the main meaning of interpreting or translating something that is obscure, coded, or difficult to understand. Both words involve extracting meaning from something that is not readily apparent.

Here's why the other options don't fit:

• distort: This means to twist or misrepresent something, which is the opposite of deciphering, which involves interpreting something correctly.
• devote: This means to dedicate oneself to something, which has no relation to understanding hidden meaning or code.
• declaim: This means to speak loudly and publicly, which again doesn't relate to the core meaning of deciphering something difficult to understand.