password
Americannoun
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passwords
plural
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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.
See Examples For:
Even password managers will likely need a refresh, according to Bas Westerbaan, principal research engineer at Cloudflare.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 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
One says their manager had changed their password to lock them out.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
Just in case, though, I know I need to change my password and move all my old emails, quick.
From "Every Day" by David Levithan
"While no passwords or payment details were exposed, we recommend remaining cautious of any unexpected emails and always verifying the sender before clicking on links."
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
The town has bolstered its financial controls, and now requires passwords for large contracts and closer scrutiny of ACH transfers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
About seven months earlier, I’d obtained a set of IOI intranet passwords from the L33t HaxOrz Warezhaus, the same black-market data auction site where I’d purchased the information needed to create a new identity.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
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.
