paywall
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/ˈpeɪˌwɔl/
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A paid barrier to online content, or the act of putting that barrier in place.
Examples
A hard paywall requires payment before any full article opens.
The article is behind a paywall, but the abstract is free.
The site paywalls premium reports but keeps daily news free.
Does the site have a paywall or can anyone read it?
Will the magazine paywall this newsletter too?
Similar words
limit access to
lockaccess barrier
restrict
subscription gate
subscription barrier
paid-access barrier
monetize
gate
Meanings
Examples
The article is behind a paywall, but the abstract is free.
That newspaper removed its paywall during the emergency.
Does the site have a paywall or can anyone read it?
I reached my monthly limit and hit the paywall.
A hard paywall requires payment before any full article opens.
Similar words
subscription barrier
paid-access barrier
access barrier
subscription gate
Examples
The publisher paywalled most of its archive last year.
They do not paywall public safety announcements.
Will the magazine paywall this newsletter too?
Several useful tutorials were suddenly paywalled.
The site paywalls premium reports but keeps daily news free.
Similar words
restrict
gate
lockmonetize
limit access to
Etymology
Formed from pay and firewall. Merriam-Webster records its first known use in 2004.
FAQ
A paywall is a system that makes people pay before they can access online content.
What does behind a paywall mean?
Content behind a paywall cannot be fully viewed without payment or a subscription.
A hard paywall blocks the full content immediately, while a softer or metered system may allow some free access first.
Yes. To paywall content is to restrict it so that payment is required.
Where does paywall come from?
Paywall was formed from pay and firewall, and Merriam-Webster records it from 2004.
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