Meaning & use

paywall

noun·Everyday

A system that blocks access to online content until the user pays a subscription or one-time fee.

See it in a sentence

The article was hidden behind a paywall, so she couldn't read past the first paragraph.

The newspaper put most of its investigative journalism behind a strict paywall.

A note on using this word

Paywall is a modern term from digital publishing, describing the barrier itself rather than the payment or the content.

Words with a similar meaning

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