plural passkeys
1
: a key that provides special access (as to a secure area)
… left his swipe-card passkey behind when he stepped outside the tower's secure door and was unable to get back in …—
UPI.com
: such as
UPI.com
a
: a key designed to open any of a set of similar locks : master key
b
: a key with a large part of the bit filed away to enable it to open low quality locks as a master key : skeleton key
2
: an authentication method that uses biometrics (such as fingerprint or facial recognition) to identify and grant access to an authorized user
You'll have one passkey per login, and passkeys will sync across all of your devices …—Juli Clover
Juli CloverInstead of a vulnerable password, passkeys work by using your biometric data as your login 'fingerprint.' For example, you could use the Touch ID button on a Mac or a facial recognition scanner on your smartphone to log in to your account. No typing required.—digitaltrends.com
digitaltrends.comExamples of passkey in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
According to Forbes, Amazon also boasts passkeys to protect accounts, and more than 300 million of its customers have now upgraded their security to stay safe.
—Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
Gmail and many major platforms already support passkeys, and adoption is growing fast.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Use passkeys: Take advantage of passkeys instead of passwords whenever possible, Lee said.
—Lorie Konish, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
This could include sharing the results of the aforementioned A/B tests in a blog, conducting an email awareness campaign dispelling common misconceptions about passkeys, or building popups that briefly explain the benefits of passkeys at the login screen.
—Fortune, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for passkey
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Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
Gmail and many major platforms already support passkeys, and adoption is growing fast.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 3 Feb. 2026
Use passkeys: Take advantage of passkeys instead of passwords whenever possible, Lee said.
—Lorie Konish, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2026
This could include sharing the results of the aforementioned A/B tests in a blog, conducting an email awareness campaign dispelling common misconceptions about passkeys, or building popups that briefly explain the benefits of passkeys at the login screen.
—Fortune, 3 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for passkey
Cite this Entry
“Passkey.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/passkey. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
passkey
noun
pass·key
ˈpas-ˌkē 
1
: a key for opening two or more locks
2
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