variants
also low-keyed
as in quiet
not excessively showy
hoping to make a good impression, he deliberately chose a low-key tie with a subtle pattern
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of low-key
Most people are here for an easy getaway in the area—creative types on low-key weekend escapes from Los Angeles and couples who want something chic but unfussy.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Mar. 2026
Okay for me, I low-key host my friends a lot throughout the week.
—Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
Few shows on Adult Swim, or anywhere, manage to feel as low-key and comfortable as Home Movies.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
For Season 2, the show producers put out low-key career advertisements seeking applicants for a two-week documentary-style project following a small business.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for low-key
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Mar. 2026
Okay for me, I low-key host my friends a lot throughout the week.
—Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 Mar. 2026
Few shows on Adult Swim, or anywhere, manage to feel as low-key and comfortable as Home Movies.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
For Season 2, the show producers put out low-key career advertisements seeking applicants for a two-week documentary-style project following a small business.
—Bryan Alexander, USA Today, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for low-key
Recent Examples of Synonyms for low-key
Adjective
-
In the kitchen of Oakland restaurant Town Fare, on a quiet afternoon, chef and owner Michele McQueen prepared for an upcoming reservation for one.—
Max Darrow,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
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West Texas Intermediate May futures also saw a noticeable pickup in trading activity at roughly the same time, with a distinct volume spike interrupting otherwise quiet conditions.—
Yun Li,
CNBC,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
In the meantime, the Bay Area will stay dry on Thursday with a notable warming trend as temperatures rise back into the 80s across the interior, with a more muted warmup (into the 70s) closer to the water.—
Greg Porter,
San Francisco Chronicle,
26 Mar. 2026
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In markets, trading has been mixed across Asia, while European futures indicate a muted open.—
Leonie Kidd,
CNBC,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
When cruising along and suddenly pressing the accelerator to pass slower traffic, the response felt more subdued than expected from a 400-plus-horsepower luxury vehicle.—
Sponsored Content,
Denver Post,
21 Mar. 2026
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That path made for a decidedly different feel at Galen Center on Sunday, as the team traded the huge selection show celebration from last season for a more intimate, subdued set-up in a small room.—
Ryan Kartje,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The result is effortlessly chic, and nowhere is this more apparent than in the Lobby Bar—an understated name for such a striking space.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
21 Mar. 2026
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The beige delivers an understated classiness and suggests this host has thought of every last detail—down to the durability of their coaster materials.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Medicare chief frames TrumpRx as a limited tool Chris Klomp, a senior HHS official, offered a notably restrained view of TrumpRx while speaking at the STAT Breakthrough Summit East yesterday.—
Meghana Keshavan,
STAT,
20 Mar. 2026
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The killing of veteran Iranian politician Ali Larijani — seen by some as a potential, palatable negotiator — may have strengthened hardliners in Tehran (who were never weak or restrained to begin with).—
Mohammed Sergie,
semafor.com,
18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The idol system, concentrated around what’s known as the big four companies—HYBE, SM, JYP, and YG—is coming off as sluggish and conservative.—
Mitch Therieau,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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In Minnesota specifically, there have been a total of 138 cases involving some sort of voter fraud between 2004 and 2025, according to data compiled by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Los Callejones, may be nestled in the Fashion District but the place has its own DNA, unpretentious with its kaleidoscope of items to buy, from scented oils to lingerie to work uniforms.—
Lilliam Rivera,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Mar. 2026
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The club’s fortunes have been transformed over the five years since, but even with A-list celebrities in the stands, lending an air of celebrity that seems at odds with this unpretentious North Wales town, a sense of earthiness endures.—
Oliver Kay,
New York Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Low-key.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/low-key. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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