password
Americannoun
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passwords
plural
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a secret word or expression used by authorized persons to prove their right to access, information, etc.
- Synonyms:
- watchword
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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.
noun
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a secret word, phrase, etc, that ensures admission or acceptance by proving identity, membership, etc
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an action, quality, etc, that gains admission or acceptance
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a sequence of characters used to gain access to a computer system
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of password
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
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
That pushed the company to delve into other areas including advertising, cracking down on password sharing and gaming.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 16, 2026
Setting up 2FA helps block bad actors who might know your password from accessing your private chat history.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 1, 2026
“Do you know Mom’s password for this laptop?” he asked.
From "The Strangers" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
It wasn’t as simple as changing the locks and updating the passwords.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
It is a full-time job managing accounts and passwords.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
He said that security “could be a key hurdle for other agents to gain trust” from users when it comes to more ambitious tasks that include passwords and other sensitive personal information.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 10, 2026
"While no passwords or payment details were exposed, we recommend remaining cautious of any unexpected emails and always verifying the sender before clicking on links."
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
She made sure she knew all the bank numbers, customer service numbers, passwords, credit card numbers, and codes.
From "Genuine Fraud" by E. Lockhart
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
