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

Etymology

Origin of password

First recorded in 1810–20; pass + word

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

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

From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2026

It is an entirely new app - not an update - and requires a new password and payment details to be added.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 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

“So, this is it. Bedroom, bathroom, I’ve got the Wi-Fi password written down, and you have my number. You guys are going on a tour tomorrow, right?”

From "Leah on the Offbeat" by Becky Albertalli

ENB said it was "so sorry" for the "concerning" incident and that although no customer passwords or payment details had been leaked, it warned customers to be cautious of unexpected emails.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

Nonetheless, Claude used "basic techniques, such as exploiting weak passwords and unauthenticated endpoints," the blog continued.

From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026

But it remains to be seen how much longer Polanski can retain control of his accounts before handing over the passwords to party staffers.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

If you’re like me, you find yourself digging for passwords you can’t remember to accounts you don’t know the name of.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026

“He tried to bring Peter to me, but couldn’t...so he stole the passwords into Gryffindor Tower for me....As I understand it, he took them from a boy’s bedside table....”

From "Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• identification