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:
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
Even if someone steals or guesses your password, they can’t access your camera without an extra code sent to your phone or email, or supplied by an authentication app.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
Until then, it’s a good idea to keep your system software updated and use a strong password.
From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026
Before logging in, passengers also needed a password reset email, but many reported long delays before this appeared in inboxes.
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
Then the password, which I realized Tasha never told us, but we peeped anyway—three taps.
From "When I Was the Greatest" by Jason Reynolds
Weak passwords, outdated software and poor Wi-Fi security can leave your home cameras exposed.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 11, 2026
"However, we don't believe that any payment-card information or account passwords have been impacted," it added.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Muse does have a “secure credentials store” for your logins, which Meta says allows the agent to use passwords without seeing them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
Don’t leave computer passwords lying around, and they should not be easy to guess.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 24, 2026
He had noticed one day a group of young boys playing some kind of spy game in which they exchanged silly secret passwords.
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
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.
