key to

phrasal verb

keyed to; keying to; keys to

chiefly US

1

: to make (something) suitable for (a particular use or type of person)

I try to key my lectures to my audience.

—often used as (be) keyed to

The educational program is keyed to the needs of working women.

2

: to change (something) in a way that is closely related to (something else)

—usually used as (be) keyed to

The amount of money they receive is keyed to the rate of inflation.

Examples of key to in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Turbocharged search and discovery engines are the key to answering this demand. —Jon Kirchner, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025

Automation might be the key to unlocking reshoring, potentially boosting the sluggish productivity of American manufacturers without meaningfully increasing employment. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 27 June 2025

The trio — who dub themselves the bathroom team in a nod to their past late-night trip to the toilets — hand their keys to Hyun-ju, the natural choice for leader. —Jennifer Zhan, Vulture, 27 June 2025

Maybe that’s the key to unlocking the best version of McNeil. —Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 26 June 2025

Rhymes for key to

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup
• bijou