authentication
noun
au·then·ti·ca·tion
ə-ˌthen-ti-ˈkā-shən 
ȯ-
plural authentications
: an act, process, or method of showing something (such as an identity, a piece of art, or a financial transaction) to be real, true, or genuine : the act or process of authenticating something
Historically, the authentication of art fell to connoisseurs …—
Colette Bancroft
Colette BancroftEncryption and decryption, combined with user authentication, ensure that only intended recipients read the messages.—Sal Ricciardi
Sal RicciardiMostly, notaries have to be adept at the authentication arts. In an era of multiple-personality disorder, cross-dressing, sex-change surgery and bogus IDs, people aren't always who they appear to be. On the notary public rests the responsibility to verify a person's true identity and attest to it.—Colette Bancroft
Colette BancroftGiving users a way to prove that they're being harassed with, say, a screenshot or some other form of authentication could help Twitter catch bad actors, even after they've covered their tracks.—Issie Lapowsky
—often used before another nounIssie Lapowskyauthentication codes
authentication techniques
authentication keys
Examples of authentication in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lang says to look for designer goods, including jewelry and clothing that come along with authentication receipts.
—Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2025
Encryption, authentication protocols and compliance with strict regulations aren’t optional—they’re the foundation.
—Gegham Azatyan, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
However, our study found that only a handful of participants actually used hardware wallets.
Mistake 3: Thinking 2-factor authentication is a silver bullet
Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, is a standard security mechanism in which two forms of verification are required to access an account.
—Mingyi Liu, The Conversation, 8 May 2025
On the front is a 1080p camera with Windows Hello sign-in authentication support, and on the back is a 10-megapixel camera.
—Brenda Stolyar, Wired News, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for authentication
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Patricia Shannon, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 May 2025
Encryption, authentication protocols and compliance with strict regulations aren’t optional—they’re the foundation.
—Gegham Azatyan, Forbes.com, 9 May 2025
However, our study found that only a handful of participants actually used hardware wallets.
Mistake 3: Thinking 2-factor authentication is a silver bullet
Two-factor authentication, or 2FA, is a standard security mechanism in which two forms of verification are required to access an account.
—Mingyi Liu, The Conversation, 8 May 2025
On the front is a 1080p camera with Windows Hello sign-in authentication support, and on the back is a 10-megapixel camera.
—Brenda Stolyar, Wired News, 6 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for authentication
Cite this Entry
“Authentication.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authentication. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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