password

noun

pass·​word ˈpas-ˌwərd How to pronounce password (audio)
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

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 This kind of attack, called credential stuffing, involves hackers getting the emails and passwords exposed in data breaches and trying the combination on other services. Emma Roth, The Verge, 12 Mar. 2024 Several ways to prevent Zoombombing — such as being careful with whom meeting information is shared or requiring a password and enabling a waiting room — don’t work for City Council meetings that are meant to be open to the public. Lauren J. Mapp, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Mar. 2024 Without a password barrier, fraudsters were able to impersonate company representatives in calls and messages to gain access to customer accounts, according to interviews and online reports. Craig Silverman, ProPublica, 11 Mar. 2024 In late November, Midnight Blizzard had used a password spray attack to access some of Microsoft’s corporate email accounts, including those belonging to leadership and employees in its cybersecurity and legal teams. Britney Nguyen, Quartz, 8 Mar. 2024 Some people on social media expressed concern that their accounts had been hacked because they had been booted out of the service and were unable to get back in with their passwords. Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 5 Mar. 2024 Visitors could not access the store, which was closed for a period of time, without a site admin’s password, leaving fans wondering whether something new was about about to launch for sale. Ashley Iasimone, Billboard, 2 Mar. 2024 Implementing strong, unique passwords, ensuring proper user access rights, conducting regular software updates and backups, as well as fostering a culture of security through training and awareness programs, are fundamental steps in protecting against modern cyber threats. David Balaban, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Despite initial pushback on password sharing crackdowns, Netflix saw over 13 million new users in its 2023 fourth quarter, a victory so definitive that Disney and Hulu decided to copy its password crackdown practices. Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 27 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'password.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of password was in 1799

Dictionary Entries Near password

Cite this Entry

“Password.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/password. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

password

noun
pass·​word -ˌwərd How to pronounce password (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on password

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