as in to set off
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for key (up)
Verb
-
Jackson visited Minneapolis in 2021 to support protesters awaiting the verdict in the trial of Derek Chauvin, the former police officer who was convicted days later of killing George Floyd in an incident that set off national protests and violence.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
17 Feb. 2026 -
But Greenland set off alarm bells for another reason.—
Thomas Robertson,
Fortune,
17 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Edgecombe was motivated by the presence of his 76ers backcourt mate, All-Star Tyrese Maxey, who watched from courtside.—
Dallas Morning News,
Dallas Morning News,
14 Feb. 2026
-
But other Black Olympic greats before her, like Shani Davis, Vonetta Flowers and her current teammate Erin Jackson, continue to motivate her.—
Marquise Francis,
NBC news,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
At the office, constantly gushing about your spouse or new romantic interest can be cringe-inducing for your coworkers.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
13 Feb. 2026
-
Authorities said the indictment alleges that Richard Murray, 31, and others, used a sweepstakes scheme to induce the primarily elderly victims to provide them with money, a scheme taking place since at least 2018.—
Staff Report,
Hartford Courant,
12 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The 2025 world champion and 2018 Olympic champion was electric throughout the day’s racing — both on the course, advancing with relative ease, and off the course, waving her arms to pump up the home crowd.—
Brendan Quinn,
New York Times,
13 Feb. 2026
-
The arena announcer further pumps up the audience.—
Anthony Solorzano,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Banda declined to speak to investigators about his method or motive for the crimes, Fort Worth Fire Department Battalion Chief David Jones said.—
Lillie Davidson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Authorities have released little information about a possible suspect or motive nearly a week into the investigation.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
While it was made in the ‘90s, the collection (which showed slip dresses, shirts with undulating ruffles, and jacquard silk jackets constructed to look permanently burst-open) was inspired by the romance between Napoleon Bonaparte and his wife Josephine.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
6 Feb. 2026
-
The work was inspired by cephalopods such as octopuses, which can rapidly alter their skin’s appearance and texture to blend into their surroundings or communicate.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Today’s Mercury-Uranus square energizes your money zone and your 5th House of Temptations, pinging you back and forth between budget plans and spontaneous delights.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Feb. 2026
-
As a 10-time world champion who’s entering her fifth, and final, Winter Olympics, American hockey star Hilary Knight, 35, has played a key role in energizing one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The garage sprinkler system had activated, helping control the fire prior to the department’s arrival, according to officials.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Ensure your vehicle is visible to others by using low-beam headlights, which also activate your taillights.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Feb. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Key (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/key%20%28up%29. Accessed 18 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
