access
noun
ac·cess
| \ ˈak-ˌses also ik-ˈses
\
\
Definition of access
(Entry 1 of 2)
1a
: permission, liberty, or ability to enter, approach, or pass to and from a place or to approach or communicate with a person or thing
Investigators wanted to get access to his home. consultants who have easy access to the president
b
: freedom or ability to obtain or make use of something
paying for access to the Internet
c
: a way or means of entering or approaching
A canal provides access to the river. a building that provides wheelchair access [=a way for people in wheelchairs to enter]
d
: the act or an instance of accessing something
2a
: onset sense 2
an access of illness
b
: a fit of intense feeling : outburst
If it had been in Tito's nature to feel an access of rage, he would have felt it against this bull-faced accomplice.— George Eliot
3
: an increase by addition
a sudden access of wealth
access
verb
accessed;
accessing;
accesses
Definition of access (Entry 2 of 2)
: to get at : to gain access to: such as
a
: to be able to use, enter, or get near (something)
accessed the computer by phone a system that makes it easier to access the money in your bank account
b
: to open or load (a computer file, an Internet site, etc.)
a file that can be accessed by many users at the same time
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Synonyms & Antonyms for access
Synonyms: Noun
attack, bout, case, fit, seizure, siege, spell, turn
Synonyms: Verb
Antonyms: Verb
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Examples of access in a Sentence
Noun
We have Internet access at the library. a sudden access of hay fever was making him feel miserableVerb
The new system makes it easier to access the money in your bank account. Your favorite radio stations can be accessed at the touch of a button. The file loads every time you access the Web site. The file can be accessed by many users at the same time. She could work at home by remotely accessing the company's network. You'll need a password to access the database.
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Customers today are choosing to utilize convenient digital self-help options to manage their accounts and access and pay for our products and service. — Akira Kyles, baltimoresun.com/maryland/carroll, "Carroll County’s only Comcast service center to close in October," 11 Sep. 2019 With that trust came career defining access into leading artists' lives and a front-row seat to the hip-hop world. — Ben Church And Thomas Collins, CNN, "Famed hip-hop photographer highlights soccer's black culture," 11 Sep. 2019 The event, 6-8 p.m. on Sept. 27, includes after-hour access to the garden, entertainment, and a chance to learn about the area’s plants and flowers from volunteer docents. — BostonGlobe.com, "A new whale-watch vessel," 11 Sep. 2019 Looney did not provide specific examples, but also said some degree of public access is preferable. — Keith M. Phanuef, courant.com, "Lawmakers balk at being excluded from decision-making in education partnership," 11 Sep. 2019 In the same announcement, the U.S. Forest Service Chugach National Forest has opened public access to the Russian River Campground, Russian Lake Trail, Russian River Falls, Barber Cabin and the K’Beq Day Use Area. — Jeff Parrott, Anchorage Daily News, "Firefighters monitor Cooper Landing while some recreational areas begin to open near Swan Lake fire," 11 Sep. 2019 The Ravens completed the enhancements to their digital ticket access control system, which means that fans no longer simply have a QR code to get in. — Giana Han, baltimoresun.com, "The Ravens’ home opener is Sunday. Here’s what you need to know before heading to M&T Bank Stadium.," 11 Sep. 2019 Located a few miles away from the National Mall, the campus offers easy access to world-class museums and some of the country’s most famous historical sites. — National Geographic, "Photo, Film, and Multimedia Journalism at Nat Geo in Washington, D.C.," 10 Sep. 2019 The United States has limited Turkey’s access to a few miles. — Carlotta Gall, New York Times, "Turkey’s Radical Plan: Send a Million Refugees Back to Syria," 10 Sep. 2019Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
And yet, accessing it has been humiliating, repetitive, and opaque. — Dina Nayeri, Longreads, "When Your Social Worker Thinks You’re Ungrateful," 29 Aug. 2019 Both wrecks have been designated as historic sites by the Canadian government and a Parks Canada permit is required to access them. — Fox News, "Incredible images reveal 'frozen-in-time' shipwreck HMS Terror," 29 Aug. 2019 When the Legislature convenes in February, Johnson wants to lead a rally outside the Capitol in support of those who suffer from chronic pain accessing opioid medication. — Jasmine Johnson, Twin Cities, "Chronic pain patient leads charge in favor of opioids, despite addiction fears," 25 Aug. 2019 Despite the hazards, this is likely natural behavior, as young beavers leave their home territories and strike out to find new streams or rivers, sometimes utilizing salty sounds and bays to access them, says Goldfarb. — Starre Vartan, National Geographic, "Beavers on the coast are helping salmon bounce back. Here’s how.," 13 Aug. 2019 The department also made the report confidential, which means only members involved in the investigation can access it. — Charlotte Carroll, SI.com, "Report: $500K of Goods Stolen from Alex Rodriguez's Car in San Francisco," 12 Aug. 2019 Farmers have trouble accessing mandatory forms; jobseekers struggle to make applications; civil servants miss out on online training. — The Economist, "Looking for a 5G signal? Try this remote Scottish island," 8 Aug. 2019 Police responded to a burglary in progress in the 3700 block of Montrose Avenue around 2:15 p.m. after a resident remotely accessing his security system saw that two women and a man had entered his backyard. — Andy Nguyen, Glendale News-Press, "L.A. trio suspected of burglarizing Glendale homes," 2 Aug. 2019 In many cases, the roots of Sierra Nevada forests stretch down between 15 and 50 feet, meaning that even during droughts trees can access moisture locked deep underground. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "California’s Drought Killed Almost 150 Million Trees," 10 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'access.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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