variants
or less commonly low-keyed
1
: having or producing dark tones only with little contrast
2
: of low intensity : restrained
1
informal
: in a way or to a degree that is moderate or limited
It didn't take long for all of us to become low-key [=somewhat] obsessed with Lizzo …—
Abi Travis
Abi TravisEverywhere we go, we're low-key [=casually] checking out coffee shops, parks, and window seats for maximum reading coziness.—Charlotte Ahlin
Charlotte AhlinWe asked the BuzzFeed Community to tell us which products have low-key changed their lives.—Samantha Wieder
Samantha WiederFirst things first: for what it's worth, I low-key think Jake Gyllenhaal is the best actor of his generation.—Eric Ital
Eric Ital2
informal
: without seeking or receiving much attention or recognition
Nordstrom low-key announced the sale with little fanfare …—Danielle Gonzalez
Danielle GonzalezThe 21-year-old model and 24-year-old musician surprised everyone when they low-key stepped into a New York City courthouse to make it official …—Jamie Leelo
Jamie Leelo… is low-key getting some of the best and most underrated lines in these episodes …—Kase Wickman
Kase WickmanShe was low-key the best player on that season …—Leigh Oleszczak
Leigh OleszczakExamples of low-key in a Sentence
Adjective
hoping to make a good impression, he deliberately chose a low-key tie with a subtle pattern
Recent Examples on the Web
Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 5 Mar. 2025
Echoing President Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s choice of dark suits, First Lady Melania Trump, and Second Lady Usha Vance, and former advisor Ivanka Trump all chose low-key designs that drew the focus back onto Trump and his impassioned speech.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2025
Hannah Oh, Seventeen, 29 Mar. 2023
For a low-key version, buy your own karaoke machine for home.
—Cameron Jenkins, Good Housekeeping, 29 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for low-key
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Adjective
In the clip shared Wednesday (March 5), Gaga — looking low-key in a black baseball cap and T-shirt — sits at a piano in the SNL break room and openly sings observations about the comedians who filter in and out.
—Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 5 Mar. 2025
Echoing President Trump and Vice President JD Vance’s choice of dark suits, First Lady Melania Trump, and Second Lady Usha Vance, and former advisor Ivanka Trump all chose low-key designs that drew the focus back onto Trump and his impassioned speech.
—Christian Allaire, Vogue, 5 Mar. 2025
Adverb
According to the interview, Emma is still keeping things low-key in her personal life.
—Hannah Oh, Seventeen, 29 Mar. 2023
For a low-key version, buy your own karaoke machine for home.
—Cameron Jenkins, Good Housekeeping, 29 Mar. 2023
See All Example Sentences for low-key
Cite this Entry
“Low-key.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/low-key. Accessed 11 Mar. 2025.
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