An equalizer that compensates for non-linear effects resulting from a transmitter, a receiver, and/or a communication channel in a communication system. A non-linear decision feedback equalizer compensates for the non-linear effects impressed onto a received symbol by selecting between equalization coefficients based upon a previous received symbol. The received symbol may be represented in form of logic signals based on the binary number system. When the previous received symbol is a binary zero, the non-linear decision feedback equalizer selects an equalization coefficient corresponding to binary zero to compensate for the non-linear effects impressed onto the received symbol. When the previous received symbol is a binary one, the non-linear decision feedback equalizer selects an equalization coefficient corresponding to binary one to compensate for the non-linear effects impressed onto the received symbol.