username

noun

us·​er·​name ˈyü-zər-ˌnām 

variants or less commonly user name

plural usernames also user names

: a sequence of characters that identifies a user (such as on a computer system, website, or social media platform)

Never reuse a username and password combination. While doing so is convenient, if that combination is ever stolen from one service you use … it will expose every service you have that uses it.

—Rachel Cericola

These e-mail addresses generally look like this: "[e-mail]".

—Walter S. Mossberg

called also user ID

Examples of username in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As of Thursday afternoon, Webb’s X account appears to be offline at its previous username. — Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 10 July 2026

While a simple search of the map wouldn’t reveal sensitive information, anyone who understands how websites request data could download unprotected personal information such as Social Security numbers without a username or password. — Luis Valentín, ProPublica, 9 July 2026

In November, a British woman with the social media username AmieinChina posted on TikTok about her decision to travel to Beijing for diagnostics tests. — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 8 July 2026

The web interface normally requires a username and password for access. — Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 8 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for username

• aspartame
• counterclaim
• overcame
• underframe
• acclaim
• aflame
• airframe
• ballgame
• became
• declaim
• defame
• disclaim

Kids Definition

username

noun

: a sequence of characters that identifies a user when logging onto a computer or website

called also user ID