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 of password

• 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

Who once set us in the deep a password, lock and mercenary. —Timmy Straw, The New York Review of Books, 4 Apr. 2026

Netflix's price increases also come after the company began cracking down on password sharing to get more customers to pay and subscribe for the streaming platform — which received much backlash from customers. —Ashley Soebroto, Houston Chronicle, 4 Apr. 2026

In May, an Italian man was held captive for weeks in a Manhattan townhouse while abductors beat him, shocked him with electric wires and held him over a ledge in order to get his Bitcoin password. —Megan Cassidy, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 Apr. 2026

According to its statement, no passwords were stolen and employee phones were not compromised. —News Desk, Artforum, 3 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for password

• absurd
• averred
• bluebird
• byword
• catbird
• catchword
• concurred
• conferred
• cowbird
• cowherd
• crossword
• deferred

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