paywall

American  

[pey-wawl] / ˈpeɪˌwɔl /

Or pay wall

noun

1. a system in which access to all or part of a website is restricted to paid subscribers.

   Some newspapers have put their content behind a paywall.

2. the part of a website that can be accessed only by paid subscribers.

---

verb (used with object)

1. to restrict access to (all or part of a website) to paid subscribers.

   Here’s an abstract, but the full article is paywalled.

Etymology

Origin of paywall

First recorded in 2005–10; pay ¹ + (fire)wall

Example Sentences

Hell, if you’re sick of the paywall on this very website, you can access at least one of Slate’s articles in the Epstein files.

From Slate • Feb. 3, 2026

Newsletters offer a direct connection with readers as well as an opportunity to sell ads or include a paywall.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026

Management indicated that agentic functionality will sit behind a paywall with monetization via subscription tiers.

From Barron's • Dec. 6, 2025

It marked the first time the NFL streamed a regular-season game for free on YouTube, with previous games streamed on subscription-only sites or behind a paywall.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 5, 2025

The details were vague, and the majority of the article was hidden behind a paywall.

From "We Are the Ants" by Shaun David Hutchinson