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dark web

American

[dahrk web] / ˈdɑrk ˈwɛb /

Or Dark Web

noun

the portion of the internet that is intentionally hidden from search engines, uses masked IP addresses, and is accessible only with a special web browser: part of the deep web.

Etymology

Origin of dark web

First recorded in 2000–05

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

NordVPN includes additional tools such as Threat Protection, dark web monitoring and a password manager called NordPass.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

“I know my information is on the dark web, and I have taken steps to be cautious.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 26, 2026

I know my information is on the dark web, and I have taken steps to be cautious.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 25, 2026

Jetton warned that even low-skilled criminals can purchase ready-made hacking and scamming tools on the dark web -- and anyone with a smartphone can be a target.

From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026

Of course, in some corners of the dark web, she was better known as UKFlamethrower1999 or DundeeDeathMonger707, but mostly she was just Char, as the girls in the boarding house called her.

From "City Spies" by James Ponti

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023