two-factor authentication
noun
two-fac·tor authentication
ˈtü-ˈfak-tər- 
: a method of verifying the identity of a person (as for granting access to a system) by requiring a password and an additional form of authorization (such as a code, a fingerprint, or a smartphone app)
—abbreviation 2FA
compare multi-factor authentication
Examples of two-factor authentication in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Even basic plans offer essential features, such as firewalls, secure socket layer (SSL) certificates, HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS), and two-factor authentication (2FA).
—
PC Magazine, 10 May 2025
To prevent account breaches, centralized crypto exchanges such as Binance and Coinbase use two-factor authentication for logins, account recovery and withdrawal confirmations.
—Mingyi Liu, The Conversation, 8 May 2025
On Robust Earnings Reports—As Microsoft Reclaims Crown As World’s Largest Company
Unlike Microsoft, which pushes users to delete passwords as an account vulnerability if kept alongside passkeys, Google is keeping passwords and two-factor authentication (2FA) as a backup.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
This stops thieves from receiving two-factor authentication codes or impersonating you.
—Kate O'Flaherty, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for two-factor authentication
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PC Magazine, 10 May 2025
To prevent account breaches, centralized crypto exchanges such as Binance and Coinbase use two-factor authentication for logins, account recovery and withdrawal confirmations.
—Mingyi Liu, The Conversation, 8 May 2025
On Robust Earnings Reports—As Microsoft Reclaims Crown As World’s Largest Company
Unlike Microsoft, which pushes users to delete passwords as an account vulnerability if kept alongside passkeys, Google is keeping passwords and two-factor authentication (2FA) as a backup.
—Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
This stops thieves from receiving two-factor authentication codes or impersonating you.
—Kate O'Flaherty, Forbes.com, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for two-factor authentication
Cite this Entry
“Two-factor authentication.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/two-factor%20authentication. Accessed 15 May. 2025.
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