How to Use key in a Sentence

key

1 of 3 adjective

• Their votes were key in getting the bill passed.
• Underline key words and phrases as you read.
• The key question is “Can we afford it?”.
• He's a key player in the organization.
• Devoe’s key three late in the game helped the Blazers hold off the Spurs.
  — Afentres, oregonlive, 9 July 2023
• Hall was a key member of the team that built the implosion bomb.
  — Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY, 3 Aug. 2023
• And here’s the key: light travels through space at a finite speed.
  — Jackie Appel, Popular Mechanics, 28 June 2023
• My key takeaway here is listen to your body and don’t to wait to seek care.
  — Katia Hetter, CNN, 7 Feb. 2024
• But Robinson hit a key three in the fourth and had a big steal during the Heat’s 18-8 run to open the fourth quarter.
  — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 8 Feb. 2024
• The workers are a key source of foreign income for the country.
  — Bradford Betz, Fox News, 27 Aug. 2023
• For male actor in a leading role, true stories seem to be key.
  — Emily Longeretta, Variety, 22 Nov. 2023
• For Jared Goff, a key part of moving on to the Lions required getting some closure from the Rams.
  — Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 10 Nov. 2023
• That's why winning over key groups that were with him in 2020 is so important for Biden.
  — Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 7 Apr. 2024
• Weather was a key factor 35 years ago when the Cubs became the last major league team to add lights to its home field.
  — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 3 Aug. 2023
• Qatar and Egypt have played key roles in the negotiations.
  — Ken Thomas, WSJ, 23 Nov. 2023
• One of his key tasks is to help the company groom a successor, a goal that has proved challenging in the past.
  — Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 15 June 2023
• Pitching depth and strong defense were key, along with hitting eight home runs.
  — Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2023
• In contrast, the high-speed rail line will cut through the heart of the valley, and Fresno and Bakersfield are key transportation hubs along the route.
  — Melissa Gomez, Los Angeles Times, 8 Feb. 2024
• Keith has cemented himself as a key piece of the Tigers' long-term future.
  — Evan Petzold, Detroit Free Press, 26 June 2023
• Sodium, one of the body’s key electrolytes, helps control blood pressure, nerves, and muscles.
  — Korin Miller, Health, 3 Aug. 2023
• The key moment, though, came 49 seconds earlier, when Saunders took and missed a 3.
  — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024
• But until Wednesday, Biden had bent over backwards to stay out of it, and worked to be sure key Western allies stayed out of it too.
  — Brian Bennett, Time, 28 June 2023
• Double Corn Summer Chowder File this one away for summer, as the cobs play a key role in building flavor for the broth.
  — Becky Krystal, Washington Post, 27 Jan. 2024
• The third-party group No Labels has been securing ballot lines in key states and has yet to lock in a big-name contender.
  — Ron Elving, NPR, 3 Mar. 2024
• Weisberg, too, viewed protecting the rights to her child’s content as a key part of protecting her child.
  — Jared Bilski, Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2024
• Choosing a kit that’s safe, fun, and reflective of their interests is key.
  — Cheryl Fenton, Parents, 22 Nov. 2023
• In January, a key measure of housing costs ticked up over the previous month.
  — Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024
• The Green Party is already on the ballot in two other key swing states: Michigan and Wisconsin.
  — Abby Cruz, ABC News, 22 July 2023
• Churches and faith groups have long played a key role in the movement and were also key to getting congregations to attend the march 60 years ago.
  — Deborah Barfield Berry, USA TODAY, 27 Aug. 2023
• Low pay has long been a key factor in the shortage of child care — a problem compounded by how little the state pays providers of subsidized care.
  — San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Nov. 2023

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key

2 of 3 verb

• The changes to the manuscript are being keyed by the typist.
• With the win, keyed by goalie Petr Mrázek’s 38 saves, the Hawks no longer own the worst record in the league.
  — Phil Thompson, Chicago Tribune, 12 Apr. 2023
• Geese will key on the point and follow it right up to the landing hole.
  — Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 6 Mar. 2023
• Phipps was clutch and Williams protected the rim to key that win.
  — Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 27 Jan. 2024
• If the Patriots can’t re-balance their offense, the Raiders will be able to key in and stop the run.
  — Adam Lichtenstein, sun-sentinel.com, 4 Nov. 2020
• If any of five players are willing to take a game-winner, the defense can’t key on one of them.
  — Mike Finger, San Antonio Express-News, 27 Oct. 2021
• The heart of it was keyed by Aguek Arop’s hustle steal that led to Micah Parrish’s fastbreak layup with 7:41 to go in the first half.
  — Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2023
• Two things happened in the second half to key the victory.
  — Joe Magill, cleveland, 30 Nov. 2022
• Bosco, with six months’ experience on the job, entered the garage and keyed in on the soda machine.
  — Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 21 June 2023
• One factor quietly keying the surge has been the steady play of point guard Kris Dunn.
  — John Coon, USA TODAY, 18 Jan. 2024
• The Dallas Cowboys might be a destination for free agents to key in on.
  — Dallas News, 1 Mar. 2023
• Lindor’s two-run triple keyed a three-run fifth, and Hernández’s run-scoring single in the eighth ended the game.
  — BostonGlobe.com, 13 Mar. 2023
• The senior keyed a defense that allowed only four goals.
  — Steve Brand, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Oct. 2023
• The Bruins keyed a run to the state title last season by slowing things down and shrewdly chewing clock late in close games.
  — Shane Hoffmann, oregonlive, 10 Mar. 2023
• But the other to key in on, too, independents, Trump will get that with a 19-point advantage.
  — Nbc Universal, NBC News, 4 Feb. 2024
• Weather is another variable that can key fish up at any time and in any season.
  — Shaye Baker, Field & Stream, 18 Apr. 2023
• While some teams have a go-to guy that defenses must key in on, the Chargers beat opponents with unselfish play.
  — J.l. Kirven, The Courier-Journal, 14 Mar. 2022
• Sunday can’t be the game tailback Leonard Fournette gets into a groove because the Dolphins can’t afford to key in on both the run and the passing game.
  — Omar Kelly, sun-sentinel.com, 7 Oct. 2021
• But even with Kerr keying the press, Australia could not disrupt England’s ability to play out of the back.
  — Frank Dell'apa, BostonGlobe.com, 16 Aug. 2023
• Parade grows in strength and clarity when the lyrics keys into Leo and Lucille’s connection and the chilling fantasies of the Old South.
  — Vulture, 16 Mar. 2023
• Unselfish basketball keyed that spurt with three assists on the four baskets.
  — Jacob Steinberg, Baltimore Sun, 19 Jan. 2024
• And Ford Hamp is betting that Holmes' eye for talent and experience will key an uptick in talent on the roster.
  — Shawn Windsor, Detroit Free Press, 15 Jan. 2021
• The result: a 4-3 win over the Mets keyed by Lowe’s two-out, two-run go-ahead single after an intentional walk of Seager.
  — Evan Grant, Dallas News, 29 Aug. 2023
• For two hours beginning at 8 p.m., the service will choose from a number of programs that key off of TV, different ones each evening.
  — David Bauder, ajc, 24 Jan. 2022
• Chambless had seven points to key the third-quarter run.
  — Paul Boyd, Arkansas Online, 29 Dec. 2021
• The customer keys in a digital order, a bowl shoots down and the ingredients are dispensed from above.
  — Laura Reiley, Washington Post, 3 Oct. 2023
• Bridges played well during the series, but the Nets as a whole struggled to generate offense, and defenders keyed in on Bridges.
  — Sopan Deb, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2023
• Even as Tucker continued to tack on yardage, the three-game losing streak to end the year at 5-7 showed how defenses could key on the Syracuse running game.
  — Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY, 18 Apr. 2022
• Reddit users also blamed teens for a recent trend of riders keying the QR code, so those lacking a rare key fob can’t take a bike out.
  — John Surico, Curbed, 24 July 2023
• Emanuel completed the scoreless frame and then Correa, batting leadoff for the third straight game, homered to key a three-run first for Houston.
  — Kristie Rieken, ajc, 25 Apr. 2021

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key

3 of 3 noun

• The key is to keep the box shut with the side flaps taped down.
  — Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2023
• Check out the image and the key for the 2023 edition below.
  — Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 12 Dec. 2023
• How can Ford leave trucks out with keys in them in 2023?
  — Detroit Free Press, 9 June 2023
• When the class trip was over, Cox returned to her car but the key would not work.
  — Claire Lempert, ABC News, 15 Mar. 2024
• The boys need their father’s keys, but don’t have time to fetch them.
  — Jennifer Ouellette and Sean M. Carroll, Ars Technica, 24 Nov. 2023
• If you’re tempted to copy Colman’s style, the key is to keep it sleek and close to the head.
  — Georgia Day, Vogue, 30 Nov. 2023
• Wiley’s wife hid the key and pleaded with the mob not to kill Choate.
  — Timothy Bella, Anchorage Daily News, 19 July 2023
• Bags were dropped, keys fumbled for, and the ring was rescued.
  — Erika Veurink, Vogue, 27 Sep. 2023
• The guide hasn’t said whether lodgings will be able to earn more than one key.
  — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 6 Oct. 2023
• The key, then, is to figure out what works best for you and your lifestyle.
  — Jacqueline Andriakos, Health, 22 June 2023
• Smith caught an inbounds pass beyond the top of the key and heaved in a 28-footer to win the game.
  — Mark Inabinett | [e-mail], al, 8 July 2023
• Wheeler, who added 15 points for the Fever, and her coach both said the key for the team is to put the loss behind them.
  — Lewis Bagley, The Indianapolis Star, 4 June 2023
• For the Jayhawks, the key will be to put Dajuan Harris on him and take the ball out of his hands.
  — Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2024
• The three men pointed a revolver at the man and stole his wallet and truck keys.
  — Aidan Wohl, The Arizona Republic, 30 June 2023
• The key is landing something down the right-center that stays in the fairway.
  — Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2023
• But Levin argues that the key here is a change in perspective.
  — Philip Ball, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2023
• Jim had a brief stint in the Army and then punched keys for a few years, back when data were stored on punch cards.
  — Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2023
• His vehicle was left in the middle of the road, with keys in the ignition.
  — Danny McDonald, BostonGlobe.com, 25 May 2023
• The key is to stay positive, scout harder, and find the spots where people aren’t.
  — Alex Robinson, Outdoor Life, 19 Oct. 2023
• Going into Sunday’s game, the key for the 49ers was to pressure Goff.
  — Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 29 Jan. 2024
• The key for the Jayhawks will be to limit Baylors’ 3-point makes to less than seven.
  — Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 10 Feb. 2024
• In other snaps shared in the game, Kylie compared her and Kendall’s car keys and purses.
  — Escher Walcott, Peoplemag, 14 Jan. 2024
• The key alone, Martel said, won't give someone access to the mail in these cases.
  — Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press, 28 Mar. 2024
• The piano player opened the the track with a trill of keys, leading the way for V to kick off the song’s iconic opening lines.
  — Starr Bowenbank, Billboard, 16 June 2023
• Meanwhile, Charley explained that the man who had stolen her father’s car asked her where the keys were.
  — Gabrielle Rockson, Peoplemag, 8 Feb. 2024
• Questioning the concepts of success and failure is one of the keys of the series.
  — John Hopewell, Variety, 6 Oct. 2023
• Most color keys will show the symbol, then the color number found on the skein of floss, then the name of that color.
  — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2023
• The key is to identify the print that fits your MO, regardless of what the trend du jour dictates.
  — Ashley W. Simpson, Robb Report, 20 Feb. 2024
• The Copilot key is the first big change to the Windows PC keyboard layout in nearly three decades.
  — Tom Warren, The Verge, 4 Jan. 2024
• The key here is to eliminate work that doesn’t result in impact.
  — Sarah Mawji, Forbes, 30 Nov. 2023

Last Updated: 7 May 2024