1
as in excited
being in a state of increased activity or agitation
She's pretty keyed up from all that coffee.
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in worried
feeling or showing uncomfortable feelings of uncertainty
He was all keyed up for his first day at the new job.
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 keyed up
Resets can be used during warm-ups, after workouts, between stressful meetings or anytime your body feels keyed up.
—
Dana Santas, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026
Dana Santas, CNN Money, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for keyed up
Adjective
-
Players such as Spurs guard De'Aaron Fox and Knicks forward OG Anunoby don't sound nearly as excited.—
Alejandro Avila,
FOXNews.com,
9 June 2026
-
Studiously moderated, but excited, voices amplified news of the actual invasion of Europe read hastily in Orlando Morning Sentinel.—
Orlando Sentinel Staff,
The Orlando Sentinel,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
Kyoto, Japan — Nancy Higginbotham wasn’t worried when her 20-year-old son got on a train by himself during their family vacation in Japan.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
-
Farmers are now worried the beef industry could be on the fritz for a while.—
Justin Klawans,
TheWeek,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
That’s taken place in a heated onsite barn under UV lights.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
29 May 2026
-
Two Indiana Pacers fans, identified as Grace and Michael, were caught on camera having a heated discussion in which Grace looked annoyed.—
Shakeia Taylor,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
Brueggmann was more than good Friday, lifting the Warriors to a 2-1 upset victory over Marist in a Class 4A state semifinal game at Louisville Slugger Sports Complex in Peoria.—
Tony Baranek,
Chicago Tribune,
6 June 2026
-
According to the standings, this wasn’t much of an upset.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
There should be trainings at your school on how to deal with agitated students and hostile situations.—
Harriette Cole,
Mercury News,
8 June 2026
-
Johnson became further agitated when Scott asked her about her seemingly troubled relationship with her daughters.—
KC Baker,
PEOPLE,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
JPMorgan's traders are getting nervous about the state of the current stock market.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
8 June 2026
-
Countless fans have taken to social media with similar issues, but some were too nervous to talk with WBZ-TV on camera for fear of it impacting their status.—
Mike Sullivan,
CBS News,
8 June 2026
Adjective
-
At one end is the anxious, under‑saved retiree doing everything possible to stretch limited assets.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 June 2026
-
During the first week of the cell phone ban at my school, students were anxious about losing the constant stream of their music, the ability to maintain instant communication with friends, and the immediate access to their social media feeds.—
Sarah Said,
Chicago Tribune,
5 June 2026
Adjective
-
The move is politically controversial due to Armenia’s troubled past with the two powers, but the opposition remained too fractured and scarred by association with past corruption to put up a considerable fight.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
8 June 2026
-
Beyond those posts, however, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution discovered a complicated and, at times, troubled history for both the clinic and its co-founder.—
Carrie Teegardin,
AJC.com,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Keyed up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keyed%20up. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
