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• deep web
  deep web

  noun

  the portion of the internet that is hidden from conventional search engines, as by encryption; the aggregate of unindexed websites.
• deep Web
  deep Web

  noun

  computing the part of the World Wide Web not accessible through conventional search engines

deep web

American  

[deep web] / ˈdip ˈwɛb /

Or Deep Web

noun

1. the portion of the internet that is hidden from conventional search engines, as by encryption; the aggregate of unindexed websites.

   private databases and other unlinked content on the deep web.

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deep Web British  

noun

1. computing the part of the World Wide Web not accessible through conventional search engines

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Etymology

Origin of deep web

First recorded in 2000–05

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

deep web deep Web

Have you seen chatter about these trials on right-wing message boards and the deep web?

From Slate ● Mar. 21, 2022

She uncovers a dark secret found only on the deep web.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 7, 2020

Because investigative reporters are often looking for those who don’t want to be found, we’d also keep an eye out for weird sites that promised to unearth off-the-grid cellphone numbers or scrape the deep web.

From New York Times ● Mar. 6, 2019

Buried in the deep web is the dark web, a bunch of sites with addresses that hide them from view.

From The Guardian ● Oct. 22, 2018

Under tighter surveillance, the more hysterical might have gone underground or found a home on the deep web.

From Economist ● Oct. 24, 2016

Much of this deep Web information is unstructured data gathered from sensors and other devices that may not reside in a database that can be scanned or “crawled” by search engines.

From Scientific American ● Nov. 16, 2015

But he also counts the deep Web, an expansive terrain of password-protected and limited-access pages not indexed by search engines.

From Washington Post ● Jun. 25, 2015

The first four episodes fly by in a blur of cheeky maxims, convoluted plot twists, and storylines about the deep Web.

From Slate ● Feb. 13, 2014

Something big went down in the deep Web over the weekend—it appears a bunch of hidden websites vanished, possibly due to the takedown of a hosting operation in Ireland.

From BusinessWeek ● Aug. 5, 2013

Additionally, Woodward noted, a JavaScript or Flash plug-in flaw on a deep Web page can also prove risky.

From BusinessWeek ● Aug. 5, 2013