password

American  

[pas-wurd, pahs-] / ˈpæsˌwɜrd, ˈpɑs- /

noun

• passwords
  plural

1. a secret word or expression used by authorized persons to prove their right to access, information, etc.

   Synonyms:

   watchword

2. a word or other string of characters, sometimes kept secret or confidential, that must be supplied by a user in order to gain full or partial access to a computer, computer system, or electronic device.

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password British  

/ ˈpɑːsˌwɜːd /

noun

1. a secret word, phrase, etc, that ensures admission or acceptance by proving identity, membership, etc

2. an action, quality, etc, that gains admission or acceptance

3. a sequence of characters used to gain access to a computer system

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• passwords
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of password

First recorded in 1810–20; pass + word

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Explanation

A password is a word — or a series of letters or numbers — that's kept secret. You might need a password to get into your brother's clubhouse or to use your friend's laptop. During World War II, soldiers used passwords to enter guarded areas; these were words or phrases (and responses) that only other Allied soldiers knew. Today, you're more likely to use a password for protecting an electronic device, for withdrawing money from a bank machine, or for logging into your email or social media account. The original meaning of password, from the late 1700s, was "word used to distinguish friend from foe."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

password passwords

One cybersecurity expert expressed concern that such a vast breach could have occurred based on one compromised username and password.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

They can also be misconfigurations -- for instance, if someone has used the same password for multiple services, or hasn't configured a database properly.

From Barron's ● Oct. 13, 2026

In the first case, the model was able to guess a password and access the real company’s service, Google said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Until then, it’s a good idea to keep your system software updated and use a strong password.

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026

“Just so you know, these computers are highly classified. If you put in the wrong password even once, it’ll alert security. So...no pressure.”

From "Amari and the Night Brothers" by B.B. Alston

“Do not provide Social Security numbers, passwords, financial information, or other sensitive personal information in response to unsolicited requests.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

School opened on schedule on Tuesday, but students, families and staff had to reset more than 600,000 passwords.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

Intelligence agencies scour the internet for vulnerable cameras and robotically tap in to them by testing millions of passwords.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026

But cyber security experts have warned users to change passwords as a precaution and be on alert for suspicious activity.

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026

The names on the little tubes were like passwords: Cobalt Blue, Burnt Umber, Crimson Lake.

From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood

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Related Words

• identification

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