authentication

noun

au·​then·​ti·​ca·​tion ə-ˌthen-ti-ˈkā-shən 

ȯ-

plural authentications

: an act, process, or method of showing something (such as an identity, a piece of art, or a financial transaction) to be real, true, or genuine : the act or process of authenticating something

Historically, the authentication of art fell to connoisseurs …

—Colette Bancroft

Encryption and decryption, combined with user authentication, ensure that only intended recipients read the messages.

—Sal Ricciardi

Mostly, notaries have to be adept at the authentication arts. In an era of multiple-personality disorder, cross-dressing, sex-change surgery and bogus IDs, people aren't always who they appear to be. On the notary public rests the responsibility to verify a person's true identity and attest to it.

—Colette Bancroft

Giving users a way to prove that they're being harassed with, say, a screenshot or some other form of authentication could help Twitter catch bad actors, even after they've covered their tracks.

—Issie Lapowsky

—often used before another noun

authentication codes

authentication techniques

authentication keys

Examples of authentication in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

For everyday users and defenders, AI helps detect suspicious logins, flag credential stuffing attempts faster, and power smarter passwordless authentication methods like biometrics. —Theo Burman, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 July 2025

That includes Uber, which is using Clear for rider verification, and access management software company Okta, enhancing authentication through Clear's biometric protection. —Ian Thomas, CNBC, 2 July 2025

Protect any sensitive personal information, such as bank accounts, health records and social media accounts, by using multifactor authentication to access it. —Mariyam Muhammad, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025

This new approach to the authentication of luxury goods could be especially useful in the event of loss, theft, or trade. —India Brown, Robb Report, 1 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

authentic(ate) + -ation

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing authentication

• multifactor authentication
• two-factor authentication

Rhymes for authentication

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration