skeleton key
noun
plural skeleton keys
: a key with a large part of the bit filed away to enable it to open low quality locks as a master key
called also passkey
Examples of skeleton key in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Bill explained that on the sills over several of the doors, there sit different skeleton keys.
—
Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 24 Aug. 2023
In combination with the token validation bug Microsoft describes, that may mean it could have been used to sign tokens for any Outlook cloud account, consumer or enterprise—a skeleton key for a large swath, or even all, of Microsoft’s cloud.
—Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 12 July 2023
Other secret-keepers will come calling with skeleton keys in hand, too, from Kerry to Marcia and far beyond.
—Josh Wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2023
Music is a kind of skeleton key, opening countless doorways in the mind.
—Burkhard Bilger, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2023
In his design, the postman would sound an alarm by means of a skeleton key.
—IEEE Spectrum, 8 Aug. 2018
Though its title suggests a system of thought itself as a skeleton key to how genres and subgenres of popular music fit into each other, the book is far too subjective and far too personal a document to be viewed as pure history or, as some would have it, pop criticism.
—Gene Seymour, The New Republic, 15 Feb. 2023
Mahomes is a skeleton key.
—Adam Kilgore, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Jan. 2023
That report became our skeleton key to this story.
—Chicago Tribune, 22 Sep. 2022
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Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 24 Aug. 2023
In combination with the token validation bug Microsoft describes, that may mean it could have been used to sign tokens for any Outlook cloud account, consumer or enterprise—a skeleton key for a large swath, or even all, of Microsoft’s cloud.
—Andy Greenberg, WIRED, 12 July 2023
Other secret-keepers will come calling with skeleton keys in hand, too, from Kerry to Marcia and far beyond.
—Josh Wigler, The Hollywood Reporter, 9 Apr. 2023
Music is a kind of skeleton key, opening countless doorways in the mind.
—Burkhard Bilger, The New Yorker, 27 Mar. 2023
In his design, the postman would sound an alarm by means of a skeleton key.
—IEEE Spectrum, 8 Aug. 2018
Though its title suggests a system of thought itself as a skeleton key to how genres and subgenres of popular music fit into each other, the book is far too subjective and far too personal a document to be viewed as pure history or, as some would have it, pop criticism.
—Gene Seymour, The New Republic, 15 Feb. 2023
Mahomes is a skeleton key.
—Adam Kilgore, BostonGlobe.com, 20 Jan. 2023
That report became our skeleton key to this story.
—Chicago Tribune, 22 Sep. 2022
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'skeleton key.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1810, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near skeleton key
Cite this Entry
“Skeleton key.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skeleton%20key. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.
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Kids Definition
skeleton key
noun
: a key made to open many locks
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