key to

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

This was ideal for my family as our daughter could have her own room but not need a key to access our room, giving her a dash of independence. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Nov. 2026

But the physical look and movements were mainly key to diving inside the person at the heart of the film. — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2026

Kardashian’s longtime friend Olivier Rousteing even tossed her the keys to the Paco Rabanne archives for her birthday, lending her two chainmail minis from fall 1995 haute couture for her birthday dinner. — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 4 Nov. 2026

They were handed the keys to Congress, and people are going to expect results. — Domenico Montanaro, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026

Rhymes for key to

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