dark web
noun
variants
or less commonly Dark Web
: the set of web pages on the Internet that cannot be indexed by search engines, are not viewable in a standard web browser, require specific means (such as specialized software or network configuration) in order to access, and use encryption to provide anonymity and privacy for users
The dark web is only accessible by means of special software, allowing users and website operators to remain anonymous. Once used by political dissidents, the dark web has become the Internet's black market, where visitors can buy anything from guns to drugs and fake IDs …—
Guillermo Contreras
compare deep web
Guillermo ContrerasExamples of dark web in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Trump has made a number of high-profile pardons during his second term, including Binance founder Changpeng Zhao, who pleaded guilty to a money laundering charge in 2023, and Ross Ulbricht, who had been serving a life sentence for creating the Silk Road dark web marketplace.
—Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
The European Space Agency (ESA) is recovering from a string of cyberattacks that leaked hundreds of gigabytes of potentially sensitive data onto dark web forums.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 15 Jan. 2026
According to authorities, state probation officers made a routine home visit to Gibson’s residence on March 6, 2024, and allegedly found an unapproved cellphone that contained a dark web application.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 14 Jan. 2026
Trump granted a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road dark web marketplace, on January 21.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
Such information is extremely valuable on dark web marketplaces.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Beyond generating strong passwords and syncing them across devices, services like Keeper and Dashlane include additional benefits, like dark web monitoring, email masking and secure password sharing.
—David McMillin, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
Proton Pass is our Editors' Choice winner for free password management because, in addition to offering top-notch cross-platform password management at no cost, the company also serves up valuable privacy tools like continuous dark web monitoring and email masking.
—Kim Key, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2025
The researchers have also identified hackers using ChatGPT to develop malicious tools, such as an information stealer and a dark web marketplace.
—IEEE Spectrum, 27 Jan. 2023
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Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 21 Jan. 2026
The European Space Agency (ESA) is recovering from a string of cyberattacks that leaked hundreds of gigabytes of potentially sensitive data onto dark web forums.
—Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 15 Jan. 2026
According to authorities, state probation officers made a routine home visit to Gibson’s residence on March 6, 2024, and allegedly found an unapproved cellphone that contained a dark web application.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 14 Jan. 2026
Trump granted a full and unconditional pardon to Ross Ulbricht, the founder of the Silk Road dark web marketplace, on January 21.
—Jenna Sundel, MSNBC Newsweek, 3 Dec. 2025
Such information is extremely valuable on dark web marketplaces.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 24 Oct. 2025
Beyond generating strong passwords and syncing them across devices, services like Keeper and Dashlane include additional benefits, like dark web monitoring, email masking and secure password sharing.
—David McMillin, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2025
Proton Pass is our Editors' Choice winner for free password management because, in addition to offering top-notch cross-platform password management at no cost, the company also serves up valuable privacy tools like continuous dark web monitoring and email masking.
—Kim Key, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2025
The researchers have also identified hackers using ChatGPT to develop malicious tools, such as an information stealer and a dark web marketplace.
—IEEE Spectrum, 27 Jan. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Dark web.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dark%20web. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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