paywall

noun

pay·​wall ˈpā-ˌwȯl 

: a system that prevents Internet users from accessing certain web content without a paid subscription

Examples of paywall in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But what may interest YouTube executives is buying a chunk of live sports and putting it behind the paywall. — Alex Sherman, CNBC, 2 Oct. 2026

For years, the prevailing assumption across the industry was that MLB would be more reluctant than leagues like the NFL to move playoff games behind a streaming paywall. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 29 Sep. 2026

Today, even the gatekeepers are gone, or have turned into paywalls. — Louis Menand, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026

The New York Times has a paywall for its articles, but ChatGPT can evade paying for a subscription. — David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 18 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

pay entry 1 + firewall

First Known Use

2004, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for paywall

• aldol
• armhole
• atoll
• awol
• backhaul
• banal
• baseball
• befall
• cabal
• catchall
• cecal
• centrale

Kids Definition

paywall

noun

pay·​wall ˈpā-ˌwȯl 

: a system that prevents Internet users from accessing certain Web content without a paid subscription