virtual private network

noun

plural virtual private networks
: a private computer network that functions over a public network (such as the Internet) and usually utilizes data encryption to provide secure access to something (such as an internal business server or private network)
He persuaded its users to communicate through a virtual private network, or VPN, a secure channel that sends encrypted messages between computers …James Verini
Tony, like all savvy Internet thieves, uses a virtual private network that masks his computer's true Internet Protocol address every time he logs on.Joe Light

called also VPN

Examples of virtual private network in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Meanwhile, said campaigners, target sites can easily create new domains to sidestep a ban in just a few hours, while users can access sites easily using a virtual private network. Emma Woollacott, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025 Courtesy of Vivaldi Vivaldi Technologies has announced a new partnership with Proton AG that will integrate the free version of Proton VPN into Vivaldi's web browser, allowing every user a quick and easy way to access a virtual private network (VPN). Scott Gilbertson, Wired News, 27 Mar. 2025 For instance, Apple removed virtual private network apps from its app store in China at the government’s request. Linggong Kong, The Conversation, 24 Feb. 2025 Tor browser Many people are familiar with VPNs, or virtual private networks, which act kind of like a tunnel between your device and the internet that can mask where your internet traffic is coming from. Clare Duffy, CNN, 9 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for virtual private network

Word History

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of virtual private network was in 1983

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Cite this Entry

“Virtual private network.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/virtual%20private%20network. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.

Kids Definition

virtual private network

noun
: a private computer network that functions over a public network (as the Internet) and usually uses data encryption to provide secure access to something (as an internal business server)
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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