access

American  

[ak-ses] / ˈæk sɛs /

noun

• accesses
  plural

1. 

   the ability, right, or permission to approach, enter, speak with, or use; admittance.

   They have access to the files.

2. a way or means of approach.

   The only access to the house was a rough dirt road.

3. the state or quality of being approachable.

   Located deep in the woods on an island with no dock, the cabin was difficult of access.

4. Theology. approach to God through Jesus Christ.

5. an attack or onset, as of a disease or symptom.

   Some influenza patients experience attacks for many weeks after the primary access.

   In a violent access of coughing I fractured one of my ribs.

6. a sudden, strong burst of emotion.

   In an access of clumsy tenderness, he tried to dry the tears that trembled on her eyelashes.

7. accession.

8. public-access television.

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verb (used with object)

• accesses,
  present (3rd person singular)
• accessed,
  past participle,  past
• accessing
  present participle

1. to make contact with or gain access to; be able to reach, approach, enter, etc..

   Bank customers can access their checking accounts instantly through the online portal.

2. Computers. (of a program or system component) to retrieve (data) for use by another program or application or for transfer from one part of the system to another.

   This key enables other applications to access data from within the event management system even if you aren't logged in.

adjective

1. Television. (of programming, time, etc.) available to the public.

   Six channels now offer access services.

access British  

/ ˈæksɛs /

noun

1. the act of approaching or entering

2. the condition of allowing entry, esp (of a building or room) allowing entry by wheelchairs, prams, etc

3. the right or privilege to approach, reach, enter, or make use of something

4. a way or means of approach or entry

5. the opportunity or right to see or approach someone

   she fights for divorce and free access to her children

6. (modifier) designating programmes made by the general public as distinguished from those made by professional broadcasters

   access television

7. a sudden outburst or attack, as of rage or disease

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verb

1. to gain access to; make accessible or available

2. (tr) computing

   1. to obtain or retrieve (information) from a storage device

   2. to place (information) in a storage device See also direct access sequential access

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• preaccess
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• accesses
  plural

Participles

• accessing
  present
• accessed
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• access
  simple
• accesses
  simple
• have accessed
  perfect
• has accessed
  perfect
• am accessing
  progressive
• are accessing
  progressive
• is accessing
  progressive
• have been accessing
  perfect progressive
• has been accessing
  perfect progressive

Past

• accessed
  simple
• had accessed
  perfect
• was accessing
  progressive
• were accessing
  progressive
• had been accessing
  perfect progressive

Future

• will access
  simple
• will have accessed
  perfect
• will be accessing
  progressive
• will have been accessing
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of access

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English accesse, from Old French acces or directly from Latin accessus “an approach,” equivalent to acced-, variant stem of accēdere “to accede ” + -tus suffix of verb action

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Explanation

Most libraries provide computers you can use to access the Internet. If chemicals are being stolen from a lab, you might ask who has access to the lab. Access is approaching or making use of something, or the ability to do so Sometimes the word is applied to a person. If you work in the same room as your boss, you might have easy access to her. A really good boss will work hard to make herself accessible to her employees. Access is from Middle English, from Middle French acces "arrival," from Latin accessus "an approach," from accedere "to approach."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

access accesses accessed accessing

“The last months have shown how critical oil inventories are, not just the total number, but the ability to access them.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026

To gain access to private keys or the systems that authorise transfers, hackers can exploit a software vulnerability, deploy malicious software, or target individuals -- for instance through phishing.

From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026

The authorities had already revoked the newspaper's licence and blocked access to its website.

From BBC ● Oct. 30, 2026

Today, it could involve a caregiver who does not have access to this debit card.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026

I only need to climb high enough to gain access to the entryway of the tunnel.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

In reality, as Slater notes, the demographics of who accesses psychotherapy show that the issue is often a matter of access, not will.

From Salon ● May 18, 2026

Doing so accesses the car’s maximum torque of over 1,000 Newton-meters—793 lb-ft.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 4, 2026

"Trimingham beach is a really remote location and there aren't any nearby beach accesses so they were put there to move things around like concrete, steel sheet piles and timber."

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2024

“A private Gmail account — just because the employee accesses it from their office or their work computer — doesn’t become less private,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2024

His preaching, with the new accesses of insight which now were his, more than ever exasperated his foes.

From The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 07 by Rossiter Johnson

The CFAA, for instance, has a provision for “reckless damage”—but it still requires a human to have intentionally accessed a computer without permission in the first place.

From Slate ● Oct. 25, 2026

Boardman, who is now recovering well from cancer, said her personal information was accessed by a man she vaguely knew who worked at the hospital.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

The Journal’s analysis relied on detailed Medicaid billing records that reporters accessed under a research agreement with the federal government.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 21, 2026

Medical records belonging to a man killed by a tiger at Yorkshire Wildlife Park may have been accessed "without a legitimate reason" by staff at Yorkshire Ambulance Service, a spokesperson has said.

From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026

It could only be accessed by clambering through a high window in one of the lecture halls or by climbing down a gnarled apple tree, if you happened to be on the roof.

From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss

Amid these challenges and others that people working in public service have faced over the years in accessing promised student-debt forgiveness, Dismore says borrowers should know that they’re entitled to certain rights under the law.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026

In addition to clean needles, the exchange provided a wound-dressing service and advised the vulnerable about accessing temporary accommodation and healthcare.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

In the vending machine study, one agent determined that it could secure way better deals by accessing suppliers in the real world outside the experiment.

From Slate ● Oct. 25, 2026

The suit contends that Anthropic was put on notice that it was improperly accessing copyrighted material, but continued with the practice.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2026

By accessing, I know she and Justin have been together for over a year.

From "Every Day" by David Levithan

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Related Words

• approach
• connection
• entry

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