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

An agent-friendly password manager integration would be better, and 1Password says its Muse partnership will be available in a few weeks.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

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

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026

Its face lit up, showing a welcome screen that required a numerical password for access.

From "The Kill Order (Maze Runner, Book Four; Origin)" by James Dashner

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

“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

"We will never ask you to share passwords, security codes or payment details through an unsolicited message or call."

From BBC ● Oct. 8, 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

To my great relief, the passwords I’d purchased still worked, and I was able to access the fake Bryce Lynch citizen profile I’d created.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

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Related Words

• identification

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