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
The personal data used is typically traded on dark web marketplaces after large data breaches.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026
IdentityForce has plans that come with dark web scanning and up to $1 million in identity theft insurance.
—Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
Analysts reviewing the breach noted that the targeted Gmail account matches an address previously associated with Patel in earlier data exposures tracked by dark web intelligence firms.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2026
How does Norton’s dark web monitoring work?
—Pcmag Brandx For Norton, PC Magazine, 19 Mar. 2026
The infrastructure feeding breaches into modern dark web monitoring databases is extensive and sophisticated.
—Matthew S. Smith, Wired News, 16 Mar. 2026
Many bank checking accounts, such as Arvest’s checking products, also offer additional benefits, including identity theft coverage with dark web monitoring, credit score tracking, roadside assistance and bundled discounts on various products.
—Barbara White, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026
What begins as an apparent suicide quickly unravels into a dark web of deceit, betrayal, and murder.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 2 Dec. 2025
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Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 26 Apr. 2026
IdentityForce has plans that come with dark web scanning and up to $1 million in identity theft insurance.
—Jasmin Suknanan, CNBC, 10 Apr. 2026
Analysts reviewing the breach noted that the targeted Gmail account matches an address previously associated with Patel in earlier data exposures tracked by dark web intelligence firms.
—Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 27 Mar. 2026
How does Norton’s dark web monitoring work?
—Pcmag Brandx For Norton, PC Magazine, 19 Mar. 2026
The infrastructure feeding breaches into modern dark web monitoring databases is extensive and sophisticated.
—Matthew S. Smith, Wired News, 16 Mar. 2026
Many bank checking accounts, such as Arvest’s checking products, also offer additional benefits, including identity theft coverage with dark web monitoring, credit score tracking, roadside assistance and bundled discounts on various products.
—Barbara White, Kansas City Star, 12 Mar. 2026
What begins as an apparent suicide quickly unravels into a dark web of deceit, betrayal, and murder.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 2 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dark web.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dark%20web. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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