password

noun pass·word \ ˈpas-ˌwərd \

Definition of password

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

2 :watchword

See password defined for English-language learners

See password defined for kids

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 of password from the Web

Requests for your amazon.com username and/or password or other personal information.

— tom uhler, star-telegram, "Amazon Prime phishing scam alert," 24 Aug. 2017
HBO requires employees to have two-factor authentication and strong passwords for their computers.

— gerry smith, Bloomberg.com, "Hackers Are Threatening the Way That Hollywood Does Business," 11 Aug. 2017
The official government guidelines for creating an unhackable password were established in 2003 by a man named Bill Burr.

— sarah rense, Esquire, "Change Your Password as Soon as You Read This," 8 Aug. 2017
Which makes her even more just like us, because surely none of us ever remember our Apple I.D. or password.

— richard lawson, vanityfair.com, "Malia Obama Lost Her iPhone at Lollapalooza, Just Like the Rest of Us," 8 Aug. 2017
When logging into HBO Go, students should find their institution on the list and log in with their school username and password.

— liam berry, PEOPLE.com, "How to Watch the Game of Thrones Premiere Online for Free If You Don't Have Cable," 14 July 2017
The exception is passwords and credit card data synced with iCloud Keychain.

— michael liedtke, The Seattle Times, "Apple to open data center in China with government ties," 12 July 2017
Don't give that stranger your credit card number, bank account number, or a password to anything over the phone or email.

— harold pollack, chicagotribune.com, "All you need to tame your finances can fit on an index card," 10 July 2017
According to a security researcher who has seen the report, the malware that activated the engineer’s username and password was designed to be used once the hackers were already inside the plant’s computer systems.

— michael riley, Bloomberg.com, "Russians Are Said to Be Suspects in Nuclear Site Hackings," 7 July 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'password.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of password

1799

password Synonyms

Synonyms

countersign, watchword, word

Related Words

shibboleth, sign; signal; hint, indication; parole

PASSWORD Defined for English Language Learners

password

noun

Definition of password for English Language Learners

: a secret word or phrase that a person must know before being given permission to enter a place
: a secret series of numbers or letters that allows you to use a computer system

PASSWORD Defined for Kids

password

noun pass·word \ ˈpas-ˌwərd \

Definition of password for Students

:a secret word, phrase, or group of numbers that a person must know to be allowed to enter a place or use a computer system

Learn More about password

See words that rhyme with password Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for password Spanish Central: Translation of password Nglish: Translation of password for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of password for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about password

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password

Definition of password

Examples of password in a Sentence

Recent Examples of password from the Web

First Known Use of password

password Synonyms

Synonyms

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PASSWORD Defined for English Language Learners

password

Definition of password for English Language Learners

PASSWORD Defined for Kids

password

Definition of password for Students

Learn More about password

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PASSWORD Defined for English Language Learners

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Definition of password for English Language Learners

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password

Definition of password for Students

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