password

noun

pass·​word ˈpas-ˌwərd How to pronounce password (audio)
plural passwords
1
: something that enables one to pass or gain admission: such as
a
: a spoken word or phrase required to pass by a guard
b
: a sequence of characters required for access to a computer system or digital device compare passcode
2

Examples of password in a Sentence

You need to enter your password to check your e-mail. the password for the all-night rave will be changed next week
Recent Examples on the Web Safeguard Your Wi-Fi: Your home wifi should be password protected. Advertorial, Orange County Register, 10 Apr. 2024 Disney+ will crack down on password sharing in June Disney is curbing password sharing for its Disney+ streaming service as part of a larger effort to boost signups and revenue, reports my colleague Samantha Murphy Kelly. Krystal Hur, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024 The password crackdown had been expected for months. Cnn, The Mercury News, 4 Apr. 2024 Multiple cases of locked wallets, missing passwords, and private keys have already been reported by Cointelegraph as of October 2023, some consisting of the loss of thousands of BTC worth millions of dollars. Victoria Chynoweth, Forbes, 28 Mar. 2024 Left unchanged is the fact that many hospitals are small nonprofits with no one who can set up even minimal controls on online access, like multifactor authentication, instead of passwords alone. Joseph Menn, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024 As for the password, we’ve been asked not to give it out. Jenna Thompson, Kansas City Star, 25 Mar. 2024 The Hulu password sharing crackdown is officially here. USA TODAY, 18 Mar. 2024 The password for the round is séance, which is a ceremonial practice in which people try to make contact with the dead. Rania Aniftos, Billboard, 18 Mar. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of password was in 1799

Dictionary Entries Near password

Cite this Entry

“Password.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/password. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

password

noun
pass·​word -ˌwərd How to pronounce password (audio)
1
: a word or phrase that must be spoken by a person in order to pass a guard
2
: a secret series of numbers or letters required for access to a computer

More from Merriam-Webster on password

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