password

noun

pass·​word ˈpas-ˌwərd 

plural passwords

1

: something that enables one to pass or gain admission: such as

a

: a spoken word or phrase required to pass by a guard

b

: a sequence of characters required for access to a computer system or digital device compare passcode

2

: watchword

Synonyms

• countersign
• watchword
• word

Examples of password in a Sentence

You need to enter your password to check your e-mail.

the password for the all-night rave will be changed next week

Recent Examples on the Web

The new password sharing feature just applies to ones that are stored in Google Password Manager, the company’s service that natively stores your passwords and passkeys in Chrome and Android and is linked to your Google account. —Umar Shakir, The Verge, 23 May 2024

Some water systems are falling short in basic ways, the alert said, including failure to change default passwords or cut off system access to former employees. —Michael Phillis and Matthew Daly, The Christian Science Monitor, 21 May 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

password

noun

pass·​word -ˌwərd 

1

: a word or phrase that must be spoken by a person in order to pass a guard

2

: a secret series of numbers or letters required for access to a computer