VPN

American  

Computers.

1. virtual private network: a system or technology that uses a public network, usually the internet, to transmit encrypted data between a private network and a remote authorized user.

---

VPN British  

abbreviation

1. virtual private network: a network that uses the internet to transfer information using secure methods

---

Etymology

Origin of VPN

First recorded in 1980–85

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

VPN

Others use virtual private networks, or VPN connections, to bypass censorship and access websites of independent publications abroad.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026

Children's minister Josh MacAlister told the BBC there were "options there about whether we could age-gate VPN use, which would be really welcome".

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

VPN providers and privacy experts say doing so would mean having to collect user data to carry out checks, and negate privacy as the incentive for using them.

From BBC ● Jun. 16, 2026

Best suited for: Users who value privacy and those seeking a trustworthy, no-cost VPN.

From Salon ● Jun. 10, 2026

This VPN allows us to share the feed from the microphone, images from the session, the real-time script, and all the animation designs amongst all the locations with a simple log-in.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman