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 OleszczakSynonyms
Examples 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 WebJulissa James, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2024
But there’s plenty of low-key heat as well, waiting to kick your taste buds upon request.
—Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 9 May 2024
These recipes can be served alone for low-key occasions, but for a particularly memorable meal, make all three.
—Lidey Heuck, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2024
No, but all the staff members are exceptionally warm, attentive, and at the same time, pretty low-key.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 7 May 2024
Getty Images The surprisingly low-key look actually pairs perfectly with her makeup and nails, which are ethereal yet subtle.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 6 May 2024
My spot at the bar made the night even sweeter — low-key and fun with a pretty view of the city out the window.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 6 May 2024
If a few members of the family would be happiest spending a low-key evening reading a book or playing a family board game together in the hotel room or vacation rental, why not let them?
—Christine Sarkis, USA TODAY, 4 May 2024
For minimalists who prefer to swerve nail art and decals in favor of something a little more low-key, these soft shades–best applied to short, neat nails–are bound to appeal.
—Lucrezia Malavolta, Vogue, 30 Apr. 2024
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
More chefs will get out of the hamster wheel of costly meal creation and will set up shop in smaller, more low-key places.
—Dana McMahan, The Courier-Journal, 28 Mar. 2023
Some may be cash only, others may be open 24 hours, great for a low-key breakfast after a long night out.
—Lauryn Azu, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2023
The Secret: Dare to Dream star shared a few snaps of the low-key festivities on Instagram, which included crafts and a flower crown for the birthday girl.
—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2023
Less bells-and-whistles logos and prints, more blow-the-budget, low-key-but-lustworthy Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana, and The Row.
—Laura Hawkins, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2023
Baggy jeans, oversized coats, and sneakers seem to be the actor's relatable go-tos, and her glam is always refreshingly low-key.
—Amanda Curran, Glamour, 28 Mar. 2023
As the drama dies down from TikTok's dissection of Hailey Bieber's history with Selena Gomez, Hailey gave another public, low-key show of support for Selena.
—Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 27 Mar. 2023
Adjective
People never seem to recognize this, but May is low-key goth.
—Julissa James, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2024
But there’s plenty of low-key heat as well, waiting to kick your taste buds upon request.
—Benjy Egel, Sacramento Bee, 9 May 2024
These recipes can be served alone for low-key occasions, but for a particularly memorable meal, make all three.
—Lidey Heuck, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 May 2024
No, but all the staff members are exceptionally warm, attentive, and at the same time, pretty low-key.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 7 May 2024
Getty Images The surprisingly low-key look actually pairs perfectly with her makeup and nails, which are ethereal yet subtle.
—Marci Robin, Allure, 6 May 2024
My spot at the bar made the night even sweeter — low-key and fun with a pretty view of the city out the window.
—Rachel Bernhard, Journal Sentinel, 6 May 2024
If a few members of the family would be happiest spending a low-key evening reading a book or playing a family board game together in the hotel room or vacation rental, why not let them?
—Christine Sarkis, USA TODAY, 4 May 2024
For minimalists who prefer to swerve nail art and decals in favor of something a little more low-key, these soft shades–best applied to short, neat nails–are bound to appeal.
—Lucrezia Malavolta, Vogue, 30 Apr. 2024
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
More chefs will get out of the hamster wheel of costly meal creation and will set up shop in smaller, more low-key places.
—Dana McMahan, The Courier-Journal, 28 Mar. 2023
Some may be cash only, others may be open 24 hours, great for a low-key breakfast after a long night out.
—Lauryn Azu, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2023
The Secret: Dare to Dream star shared a few snaps of the low-key festivities on Instagram, which included crafts and a flower crown for the birthday girl.
—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2023
Less bells-and-whistles logos and prints, more blow-the-budget, low-key-but-lustworthy Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana, and The Row.
—Laura Hawkins, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2023
Baggy jeans, oversized coats, and sneakers seem to be the actor's relatable go-tos, and her glam is always refreshingly low-key.
—Amanda Curran, Glamour, 28 Mar. 2023
As the drama dies down from TikTok's dissection of Hailey Bieber's history with Selena Gomez, Hailey gave another public, low-key show of support for Selena.
—Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 27 Mar. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'low-key.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Low-key.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/low-key. Accessed 16 May. 2024.
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