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
Angel Saunders, People.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Find Haberdasher’s simple derby-and-tie logo hanging on San Salvador Street, then the low-key front door leading downstairs to cocktail nirvana.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2025
His mentor Isaiah White is played with low-key menace by Marlon Wayans, the multi-hyphenate Hollywood legend known for acting in, writing and producing multiple iterations of the Scary Movie franchise, among many other films, shows and comedy specials.
—Neda Ulaby, NPR, 19 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for low-key
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Adjective
For the low-key outing, they were also joined by their younger sister, Elizabeth Olsen, 36.
—Angel Saunders, People.com, 13 Sep. 2025
Find Haberdasher’s simple derby-and-tie logo hanging on San Salvador Street, then the low-key front door leading downstairs to cocktail nirvana.
—John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 12 Sep. 2025
Adverb
Her mornings, though, are surprisingly low-key.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2025
His mentor Isaiah White is played with low-key menace by Marlon Wayans, the multi-hyphenate Hollywood legend known for acting in, writing and producing multiple iterations of the Scary Movie franchise, among many other films, shows and comedy specials.
—Neda Ulaby, NPR, 19 Sep. 2025
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 23 Sep. 2025.
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