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
1
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
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
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Recent Examples of key
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
One of the key themes of the book is how loss is at the core of love.
—Daisy Jones, Vogue, 10 Feb. 2026
Jason Green, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Once you’re cinched into the five-point harness and turn the ignition key, the sensory hit is immediate.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2026
Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
Microsoft handed the government encryption keys for customer data.
—Tom Warren, The Verge, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for key
Adjective
Kurt's key takeaway Dating apps thrive on intimacy, but cyberattacks turn that intimacy into a massive risk.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
One of the key themes of the book is how loss is at the core of love.
—Daisy Jones, Vogue, 10 Feb. 2026
Noun
After spotting a mail truck and carrier, McBee jumped out of the Toyota and demanded the carrier’s keys.
—Jason Green, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Once you’re cinched into the five-point harness and turn the ignition key, the sensory hit is immediate.
—Viju Mathew, Robb Report, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
Madden caught fire from the field in the frame, sinking three consecutive triples from long range to help key a 15-4 run in the opening minutes of the stanza.
—Brendan Connelly, Boston Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
Microsoft handed the government encryption keys for customer data.
—Tom Warren, The Verge, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for key
Recent Examples of Synonyms for key
Adjective
-
White actually carried main voice Terry Gannon through parts of the broadcast.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Shah’s daughter, Smita Shah, is a finance committee vice chair for Stratton’s main campaign fund, Juliana for Illinois.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Trump supported Milei’s fiscal program last year with a $20-billion credit line that succeeded in calming markets and boosting Milei’s prospects in a crucial midterm election in October.—
Isabel Debre,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
While Singh’s lawyer Jitender Khurana denies any political motive for his client’s paroles, his previous releases coincided with crucial state elections, fueling speculation that his freedom is a reward for the Dera’s electoral support.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Leavitt turns the tables on media outrage as FBI seizes Fulton election documents.—
,
FOXNews.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
All the more remarkable then, that the 1899 lay forgotten for years in a cellar, before eventually ending up on Soo Hoo’s table.—
Pin Yen Tan 9 min ago,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
As sports tourism becomes a more powerful engine for travel, offering an unexpected gateway into a society and its culture, travelers can get to know India through this brisk, energetic version of our most-beloved game.—
Samanth Subramanian,
Condé Nast Traveler,
10 Feb. 2026
-
The mascot represents the airport that serves as Arizona's largest economic engine and many travelers' gateway to the West.—
Michael Salerno,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Museum members will have two weeks of priority access to the galleries, with general admission beginning May 4.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Could artificial intelligence help people who lack access to legal representation in Georgia’s rural counties?—
Shaddi Abusaid,
AJC.com,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Another argues that some of the apparent contradictions of LRDs can be reconciled by an amorphous, nonspherical shape.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
5 Feb. 2026
-
Years later, Timberlake said the two had reconciled, but the disparity in their treatment wasn’t forgotten.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The Gates Foundation and OpenAI have launched a $50 million program to bring AI capabilities to 1,000 primary health care clinics across Africa.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The Amazon-like company has been subjected to a number of investigations, raids, and inspections initiated by the Korea Fair Trade Commission, the country’s primary antitrust regulator, in recent years.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The film received strong critical acclaim upon its release, holding a 95% critical approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes.—
Joe Otterson,
Variety,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Some 25 million people viewed the spot, by the way, but only 15 commented on it, and most were critical.—
Steven Zeitchik,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Key.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/key. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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