password
Americannoun
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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.
It advised users to set up two-step verification alongside a strong, unique password.
From BBC • Jul. 14, 2025
What you can do: Create a robust and unique password for each online account.
From Salon • Aug. 27, 2024
This includes not clicking on any emails or texts from unknown senders and creating a unique password for each account you have online.
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 3, 2022
For each login you should have a unique password.
From Seattle Times • Oct. 16, 2021
Gaining access to the software code that controlled the password system, Stallman implanted a software command that sent out a message to any LCS user who attempted to choose a unique password.
From Free as in Freedom: Richard Stallman's Crusade for Free Software by Williams, Sam
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.
