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
Tamblyn said there are safeguards in place to prevent accidental triggering, including multifactor authentication.
—Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 15 May 2024
In Kentucky, Kelli Godwin had issues verifying her Real ID at two different airports when TSA authentication technology failed to match the photo on her ID with her face, according to Fox19.
—Mariyam Muhammad, The Enquirer, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for authentication 
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge, 15 May 2024
In Kentucky, Kelli Godwin had issues verifying her Real ID at two different airports when TSA authentication technology failed to match the photo on her ID with her face, according to Fox19.
—Mariyam Muhammad, The Enquirer, 14 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for authentication
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'authentication.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near authentication
Cite this Entry
“Authentication.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/authentication. Accessed 29 May. 2024.
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