access

1 of 2

noun

ac·​cess ˈak-ˌses How to pronounce access (audio)
also
ik-ˈses How to pronounce access (audio)
1
a
: permission, liberty, or ability to enter, approach, or pass to and from a place or to approach or communicate with a person or thing
Investigators wanted to get access to his home.
consultants who have easy access to the president
b
: freedom or ability to obtain or make use of something
paying for access to the Internet
c
: a way or means of entering or approaching
A canal provides access to the river.
a building that provides wheelchair access [=a way for people in wheelchairs to enter]
d
: the act or an instance of accessing something
2
a
: onset sense 2
an access of illness
b
: a fit of intense feeling : outburst
If it had been in Tito's nature to feel an access of rage, he would have felt it against this bull-faced accomplice.George Eliot
3
: an increase by addition
a sudden access of wealth

access

2 of 2

verb

accessed; accessing; accesses

transitive verb

: to get at : to gain access to: such as
a
: to be able to use, enter, or get near (something)
accessed the computer by phone
a system that makes it easier to access the money in your bank account
b
: to open or load (a computer file, an Internet site, etc.)
a file that can be accessed by many users at the same time

Examples of access in a Sentence

Noun We have Internet access at the library. a sudden access of hay fever was making him feel miserable Verb The new system makes it easier to access the money in your bank account. Your favorite radio stations can be accessed at the touch of a button. The file loads every time you access the website. The file can be accessed by many users at the same time. She could work at home by remotely accessing the company's network. You'll need a password to access the database.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Join Fox News for access to this content Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account - free of charge. Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2024 In the recent trial, the prosecution characterized Whitehead as a habitual liar, emphasizing his deceit regarding access, influence, and relationships. Melissa Noel, Essence, 15 Mar. 2024 Some start-ups are moving their headquarters to the area to have better access to Nvidia’s executives and sales representatives. Taylor Telford, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 Waymo has earned some early supporters by promising to widen access for people with disabilities — including those with epilepsy who are unable to drive and may face insecurities about using traditional public transportation or ride-sharing. Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2024 If James knew that his son had gained access to his firearms, the prosecution would have told you that. Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 15 Mar. 2024 In addition, the administration has worked to expand access to reproductive health services, including family planning and providers, emergency contraception and long-acting reversible contraception such as intrauterine devices. Michael Collins, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2024 The campground has on-site hiking trails, a swimming pool, and pet-friendly sites, along with full hookups and access to laundry and hot showers. Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 14 Mar. 2024 Plus special access to select articles and other premium content with your account - free of charge. Stephen Sorace, Fox News, 3 Mar. 2024
Verb
Since then, their attempts to access government services have continued to fail. Elizabeth Yuko, Rolling Stone, 16 Mar. 2024 Just as earlier internet protocols like the TCP/IP that allowed devices to connect to each other; and was then followed by HTTP, which essentially gave everyday users of computers the opportunity to access the internet via a web browser, became the foundations of contemporary online life. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 16 Mar. 2024 New Hampshire and Rhode Island are not located near large rivers, and the Colorado River is heavily managed and difficult to access from Arizona, Cherkauer said. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 16 Mar. 2024 To access the content, check your email and follow the instructions provided. Michael Dorgan, Fox News, 15 Mar. 2024 Thomas Berry, a scholar at the libertarian Cato Institute, said the court struck a reasonable balance between the public’s right to access official state communications and the rights of government officials to exercise their own private speech. USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2024 On Wednesday, when the US House of Representatives passed a bill that could essentially ban the app, lawmakers called it a potential platform for pro-China propaganda and a repository of Americans’ user data that TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, could access. Angela Watercutter, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2024 With Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, users can directly access their phone’s essential functions, such as navigation, contacts, music, and more, from the car display. Stack Commerce, Popular Science, 14 Mar. 2024 But price transparency is also about empowering employers and unions to design the best health plans by accessing and auditing claims encounter data. Benjamin Chartock, STAT, 13 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'access.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, "entrance, approach, attack of illness, fever, lovesickness," borrowed from Anglo-French & Medieval Latin; Anglo-French acces "attack of illness," (Old French also "liberty to approach"), borrowed from Latin accessus "approach, means of entry, right of approach, onset (of fever or illness)," action noun derived from accēdere "to approach" — more at accede

Verb

derivative of access entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 2a

Verb

1953, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of access was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near access

Cite this Entry

“Access.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/access. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

access

1 of 2 noun
ac·​cess ˈak-ˌses How to pronounce access (audio)
1
: permission or power to enter, approach, or make use of
access to secret information
Internet access
2
: a way or means of approach
a nation's access to the sea

access

2 of 2 verb
: to get at : gain access to

Legal Definition

access

noun
ac·​cess ˈak-ˌses How to pronounce access (audio)
often attributive
1
: permission, liberty, or ability to enter, approach, communicate with, or pass to and from a place, thing, or person
public access to federal land
access to the courts
2
: opportunity for sexual intercourse
3
: a landowner's legal right to pass from his or her land to a highway and to return without being obstructed
4
: freedom or ability to obtain, make use of, or participate in something
the right to equal treatment holds with respect to a limited set of interests — like voting — and demands that every person have the same access to these interestsL. H. Tribe
5
a
: a way by which a thing or place may be approached or reached
b
: passage to and from a place
provide a means of access to the land
6
: opportunity to view or copy a copyrighted work

More from Merriam-Webster on access

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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