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
Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025
Kelly Reichardt, the low-key filmmaker behind pictures like 2019’s First Cow, a study in masculine tenderness set in the 1820s Pacific Northwest, and 2022’s Showing Up, with Michelle Williams as a dedicated artist who's wholly disinterested in social niceties, has never made a heist film.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
But the inexperience of low-key Carmelo Anthony, paired with Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter and host Maria Taylor, was hurt by being on the court and the crowd.
—Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for low-key
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Adjective
Desert View Drive, a 25-mile scenic route along Arizona Highway 64, is a low-key wonder that rewards those willing to wander slightly off the park’s busiest paths.
—Taryn White, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025
Kelly Reichardt, the low-key filmmaker behind pictures like 2019’s First Cow, a study in masculine tenderness set in the 1820s Pacific Northwest, and 2022’s Showing Up, with Michelle Williams as a dedicated artist who's wholly disinterested in social niceties, has never made a heist film.
—Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 17 Oct. 2025
Adverb
From Dakota Johnson and Jane Fonda to Brittany Snow and Anne Hathaway, each leading lady uniquely styled the timeless shoe, whether accompanied by a dressy look or a low-key ensemble.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 25 Oct. 2025
But the inexperience of low-key Carmelo Anthony, paired with Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter and host Maria Taylor, was hurt by being on the court and the crowd.
—Andrew Marchand, New York Times, 25 Oct. 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 30 Oct. 2025.
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