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 OleszczakSynonyms
Examples of low-key in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebMelissa Locker, TIME, 6 Apr. 2024
Although many of the tracks have ricocheting, 2-step-esque beats underpinning them, few of the songs here could really be considered dance music (and even those would be a very low-key dance music).
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024
This will be a fun, low-key chat about money geared specifically for women.
—Amy Wagner and Steve Hruby, The Enquirer, 2 Apr. 2024
If the great outdoors still beckons, the property offers acres of hiking trails and the Boswell Botany Trail.
10 Best Places to See Fall Foliage in Vermont
Manchester is known for its mellow vibe, and after a full day of gallivanting, a low-key evening will feel good.
—Kira Turnbull, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2024
Last year, the cookbook author and her family had a low-key Easter.
—Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
These recipes can be served alone for low-key occasions, but for a particularly memorable meal, make all three.
—Lidey Heuck, New York Times, 29 Mar. 2024
Argentina Are Still The Team To Beat Argentina had a Lionel Messi-less, low-key international window in the U.S this week.
—Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Cooper had also donned a low-key look for the date night, wearing a casual black and white letterman jacket, brown slacks and tennis shoes.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2024
Hannah Oh, Seventeen, 29 Mar. 2023
For a low-key version, buy your own karaoke machine for home.
—Cameron Jenkins, Good Housekeeping, 29 Mar. 2023
More chefs will get out of the hamster wheel of costly meal creation and will set up shop in smaller, more low-key places.
—Dana McMahan, The Courier-Journal, 28 Mar. 2023
Some may be cash only, others may be open 24 hours, great for a low-key breakfast after a long night out.
—Lauryn Azu, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2023
The Secret: Dare to Dream star shared a few snaps of the low-key festivities on Instagram, which included crafts and a flower crown for the birthday girl.
—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2023
Less bells-and-whistles logos and prints, more blow-the-budget, low-key-but-lustworthy Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana, and The Row.
—Laura Hawkins, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2023
Baggy jeans, oversized coats, and sneakers seem to be the actor's relatable go-tos, and her glam is always refreshingly low-key.
—Amanda Curran, Glamour, 28 Mar. 2023
As the drama dies down from TikTok's dissection of Hailey Bieber's history with Selena Gomez, Hailey gave another public, low-key show of support for Selena.
—Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 27 Mar. 2023
Adjective
For those looking to commune with nature during the celestial event, Shirley Chisholm State Park in Brooklyn is hosting a low-key — and free — viewing party on the banks of Jamaica Bay.
—Melissa Locker, TIME, 6 Apr. 2024
Although many of the tracks have ricocheting, 2-step-esque beats underpinning them, few of the songs here could really be considered dance music (and even those would be a very low-key dance music).
—Jem Aswad, Variety, 5 Apr. 2024
This will be a fun, low-key chat about money geared specifically for women.
—Amy Wagner and Steve Hruby, The Enquirer, 2 Apr. 2024
If the great outdoors still beckons, the property offers acres of hiking trails and the Boswell Botany Trail.
10 Best Places to See Fall Foliage in Vermont
Manchester is known for its mellow vibe, and after a full day of gallivanting, a low-key evening will feel good.
—Kira Turnbull, Travel + Leisure, 2 Apr. 2024
Last year, the cookbook author and her family had a low-key Easter.
—Antonia Debianchi, Peoplemag, 1 Apr. 2024
These recipes can be served alone for low-key occasions, but for a particularly memorable meal, make all three.
—Lidey Heuck, New York Times, 29 Mar. 2024
Argentina Are Still The Team To Beat Argentina had a Lionel Messi-less, low-key international window in the U.S this week.
—Joseph O'Sullivan, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Cooper had also donned a low-key look for the date night, wearing a casual black and white letterman jacket, brown slacks and tennis shoes.
—Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 23 Mar. 2024
Adverb
According to the interview, Emma is still keeping things low-key in her personal life.
—Hannah Oh, Seventeen, 29 Mar. 2023
For a low-key version, buy your own karaoke machine for home.
—Cameron Jenkins, Good Housekeeping, 29 Mar. 2023
More chefs will get out of the hamster wheel of costly meal creation and will set up shop in smaller, more low-key places.
—Dana McMahan, The Courier-Journal, 28 Mar. 2023
Some may be cash only, others may be open 24 hours, great for a low-key breakfast after a long night out.
—Lauryn Azu, Chicago Tribune, 28 Mar. 2023
The Secret: Dare to Dream star shared a few snaps of the low-key festivities on Instagram, which included crafts and a flower crown for the birthday girl.
—Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 28 Mar. 2023
Less bells-and-whistles logos and prints, more blow-the-budget, low-key-but-lustworthy Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana, and The Row.
—Laura Hawkins, Vogue, 28 Mar. 2023
Baggy jeans, oversized coats, and sneakers seem to be the actor's relatable go-tos, and her glam is always refreshingly low-key.
—Amanda Curran, Glamour, 28 Mar. 2023
As the drama dies down from TikTok's dissection of Hailey Bieber's history with Selena Gomez, Hailey gave another public, low-key show of support for Selena.
—Alyssa Bailey, ELLE, 27 Mar. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'low-key.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to low-key
Dictionary Entries Near low-key
Cite this Entry
“Low-key.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/low-key. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share