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

Eat a Nutritious Diet Eating a nutritious diet that supports your brain’s health is also key to preventing cognitive decline. —Jocelyn Solis-Moreira, Flow Space, 7 Nov. 2025

How the world gets its electricity is hugely important; the energy sector is the largest source of global emissions, and clean electricity is also key to decarbonizing transportation, another heavily polluting industry. —Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025

Spanx Poplin Oversized Button-Up Shirt A button-up shirt is the key to effortless layering as temps continue to drop. —Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025

Here are three keys to Friday’s game. —Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 7 Nov. 2025

Rhymes for key to

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