key (up)

verb

Definition of key (up)next
as in to set off

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for key (up)
  1. set off
  2. motivate
  3. induce
  4. pump up
  5. motive
  6. inspire
  7. energize
  8. activate
Verb
  • In Canton, Ohio, a 46-year-old woman was shot in the back while asleep in bed after a man and others reportedly fired weapons into the air and set off fireworks to celebrate the holiday late Friday night.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 5 July 2026
  • Kevin Pina’s rocket set off an eruption of joy, only for Cape Verde to trail at half-time mostly because of Maximiliano Araujo, the only Uruguay attacker showing any semblance of form.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of set off
Verb
  • That the notion of being a more perfect union, not the perfect union, is really what motivates me.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 5 July 2026
  • In 2011, Aguirre devised a technique to motivate his Real Zaragoza players ahead of a league match against Real Madrid.
    — Colin Millar, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of motivate
Verb
  • This is likely the first-ever humanoid robot induced strike, although there are other issues at play in the current union negotiations.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • According to the court judgment, the pair arranged for employees and associates to drive up bidding prices at auction, inducing the collector, identified under the pseudonym Li Pin, to purchase the items at inflated prices.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 17 July 2026
Definition of induce
Verb
  • By Thursday, the Eastern Pacific trough that helped pump up the moisture earlier in the week will arrive, bringing a weak cold front and kicking off a late-week cooling trend.
    — Kassia Bonesteel, CBS News, 13 July 2026
  • The company started its program in 2023 and has already pumped up that payout by another 57%.
    — Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of pump up
Verb
  • Stockton police said no suspect or motive information was available for this shooting either.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 28 June 2026
  • At the time of writing, police have not identified a suspect or motive in her case.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 12 June 2026
Definition of motive
Verb
  • Which of the weddings on GoT was Anglo-Saxon James inspired by?
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 16 July 2026
  • The eight-part Spanish-language drama, inspired by real events, is set in 1980s Lima, Peru, and follows the rise of an elite law school cabal that infiltrates academia, politics, and organized crime.
    — Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 15 July 2026
Definition of inspire
Verb
  • We’re really energized by entering into that tender process with a view to [having one of our labels] winning it.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 14 July 2026
  • His go-ahead goal energized the sellout crowd of 64,478, which was awash in red and white and dominated by English fans, including rock legend Mick Jagger and former England captain David Beckham, the Inter Miami co-owner.
    — Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 12 July 2026
Definition of energize
Verb
  • The company told deputies that someone at the Sheriff's Office or a Flock employee could have reactivated the feature, or that a system bug could have automatically activated it.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 14 July 2026
  • Press down on the trigger lock switch before squeezing the trigger to activate the blade.
    — Timothy Dale, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026
Definition of activate
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.

Browse Nearby Words

keys (up)
key (up)
khan
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Cite this Entry

“Key (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/key%20%28up%29. Accessed 18 Jul. 2026.

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