1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

key 1 of 3

adjective

Definition of keynext
1
as in main
coming before all others in importance maintains that Sir Isaac Newton remains the key figure in physical science

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crucial
of the greatest possible importance first—and this is key—I wasn't even there that evening

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

key

2 of 3

noun

ˈkē How to pronounce key (audio)
1
as in table
an explanatory list of the symbols on a map or chart in order to know what those dotted lines represent, you'll need to look at the key

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in gateway
something that allows someone to achieve a desired goal a good education is the key to success

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in access
the means or right of entering or participating in he had found the key to her heart

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

key

3 of 3

verb

as in to reconcile
to bring to a state free of conflicts, inconsistencies, or differences her response was perfectly keyed to the situation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of key
Adjective
Six of those candidates won their primaries and made it to November’s ballot, including in three states — Arizona, Nevada and Wisconsin — that promise to be key once more to picking the next president. — Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2026 So heading into the midterms, obviously key numbers with the president here. — NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026
Noun
Long before a space had been conceptualized — let alone the keys acquired — a collaborative foundation had been laid. — Michael Anthony Hall, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Crew members with a seemingly unending supply of keys transported various cords and cables. — Sarah Shanfield, Vulture, 11 Sep. 2026
Verb
Pham-Ngoy keyed the possession with an 18-yard reception to tight end Luke Starr. — Dan Albano, Oc Register, 21 Aug. 2026 Hayes’ 3-pointer from the midcourt logo to end the first quarter keyed the Valkyries’ 24-9 second-quarter surge and enlivened a Golden State group that had started the game sluggishly. — Christian Babcock, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for key
Recent Examples of Synonyms for key
  1. main
  2. crucial
  3. table
  4. gateway
  5. access
  6. reconcile
  7. primary
  8. critical
Adjective
  • Rhodes owes Orton another lick after getting punted in the head following their WrestleMania 42 Night 1 main event brawl.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Spectrum’s second flight began with ignition of the rocket’s nine Aquila main engines, burning a mixture of propane and liquid oxygen propellants to generate more than 150,000 pounds (675 kilonewtons) of thrust.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of main
Adjective
  • And the tariffs are a terrible idea in any event, amounting to a consumer tax and interrupting crucial trade.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Still, the current team does have a rare shot at shaping an orchestra that is not only reliably exciting and frequently profound but also casually bold and genuinely fun — making for a crucial presence in the city as well as at Geffen Hall.
    — Justin Davidson, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of crucial
Noun
  • There will also be a king bed, a television, and a small sitting area—two chairs and a bistro table—by the window.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 17 Sep. 2026
  • My brother looks at the floor, mumbles something, and then shuffles away from the table.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of table
Noun
  • In the near future, these platforms are positioned to break through as the gateway to the internet — and information — to billions of people across the world.
    — Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 18 Sep. 2026
  • And today’s LLMs are able to call on other computational modules to fill in their weak spots, so language is the gateway to ever-broader capacity.
    — George Musser, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of gateway
Noun
  • Activists who have opposed the closure said there has been no vehicle or pedestrian access to the building Wednesday.
    — MATTHEW DALY, Arkansas Online, 17 Sep. 2026
  • This year marks the first time the program will include workshops, giving aspiring writers direct access to Netflix content executives.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of access
Verb
  • Reports indicate that though Harry has reconciled with his father, King Charles, William still has no intention of meeting with his younger brother.
    — Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 8 Sep. 2026
  • While her own family has never stepped foot in Taiwan, Lily holds onto the belief that perfecting her Mandarin will finally reconcile the shortcomings of being a diaspora kid.
    — Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of reconcile
Adjective
  • The club prefers Taylor to serve as the primary organizational voice to relay its message — and to take the brunt of criticism.
    — Paul Dehner Jr, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The charcoal floor tiling and island in the corner kitchen feel like something Rick Owens would have dreamed up, as are the primary bathroom’s concrete floors and shower stall.
    — Matthew Sedacca, Curbed, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of primary
Adjective
  • That makes the vehicle’s capacitors, batteries, and power electronics critical.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026
  • President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday that Ukraine is ready to halt its strikes on Russian territory if allies can secure a genuine Russian commitment not to hit Ukraine's critical infrastructure.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of critical

Browse Nearby Words

kettles of fish
key
keyboardist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Key.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/key. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on key

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about key

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of volition

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 18
See More

Popular

See More

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
crayons-in-a-circle
Guess the Color Quiz Questions that use the whole box of crayons.
See All