as in to set off
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Recent Examples of Synonyms for key (up)
Verb
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Related Stories The film follows the true story of PK, a 23-year-old street artist from India who sets off with a handful of paintbrushes and a second-hand bicycle on a 6,000-mile journey across Europe and Asia to find Lotta, the woman who captured his heart during her visit to India.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
3 Feb. 2026 -
For decades, toxic chemicals used in carpet manufacturing have made their way into the local water supply, setting off rounds of accountability hot potato among manufacturers, chemical makers, regulators and local utilities.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In the case of Crestview, the thefts were believed to be motivated by the harvesting of the piña — the plant’s hearty, pineapplelike center that can weigh 100 or more pounds and is used for tequila and mezcal.—
Tribune News Service,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
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Crime and the fear of violent crime have long been used by politicians as an issue to try to motivate the electorate.—
Rick Pearson,
Chicago Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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While the limitations of technology at the time naturally prevent the film from delivering the dread-inducing jump scares that modern audiences may crave, the atmosphere of Nosferatu is enough to get under your skin.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
31 Jan. 2026
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Personally, the loom of Sunday’s one-year anniversary has induced flashbacks and sporadic PTSD.—
Brad Townsend,
Dallas Morning News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Proud Michigander Draymond Green should be pumped up for this one.—
Steven Louis Goldstein,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2026
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So will numbers from its Azure cloud business, although the skeptics will say they are pumped up by Microsoft’s affiliation with AI.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
25 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Harriette Cole is a lifestylist and founder of DREAMLEAPERS, an initiative to help people access and activate their dreams.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
27 Jan. 2026
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Neuroscience has long shown that watching another person experience pain activates the same neural regions as experiencing pain ourselves.—
Dev Patnaik,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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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 7 Feb. 2026.
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