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
The star uses every appearance to her advantage, tapping her stylist Dani Levi for even the most low-key occasions.
—
Kelsey Stiegman, InStyle, 28 May 2026
Rapper Lil Wayne has gotten engaged again, this time keeping his proposal and wedding plans low-key.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 27 May 2026
The head coach and both quarterbacks — Mendoza and Kirk Cousins, the veteran bridge — share the same low-key temperament as well.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 27 May 2026
L'Ermitage Beverly Hills The low-key elegant money is on L’Ermitage Beverly Hills.
—David Hochman, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for low-key
Kelsey Stiegman, InStyle, 28 May 2026
Rapper Lil Wayne has gotten engaged again, this time keeping his proposal and wedding plans low-key.
—Theresa Braine, New York Daily News, 27 May 2026
The head coach and both quarterbacks — Mendoza and Kirk Cousins, the veteran bridge — share the same low-key temperament as well.
—Mike Sando, New York Times, 27 May 2026
L'Ermitage Beverly Hills The low-key elegant money is on L’Ermitage Beverly Hills.
—David Hochman, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for low-key
Recent Examples of Synonyms for low-key
Adjective
-
This is quiet luxury in hotel form.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
And yet art-world institutions—including major museums, schools, commercial galleries, and publishing outlets—have mostly avoided the fawning capitulation of universities and Democrats, simply going quiet in the hope of escaping notice for the next three years.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
His trademark cool was sidelined by a more demonstrative style, closer to the theatrical sensibilities of 2Pac than the muted menace that once defined him.—
Jayson Buford,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2026
-
Breeding siblings The first step was to find a common bean plant with a muted In11 receptor.—
Jacek Krywko,
ArsTechnica,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
After years dominated by the reliable little black dress and subdued minimalism, wedding guest attire is swinging loudly in the opposite direction.—
Lauren Fisher,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
-
But the mood in the room at Citi’s Tribeca headquarters was more subdued than expected.—
Claire Zillman,
Fortune,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Smart played the moment, as ever, with understated panache.—
Michael Schulman,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
-
Rather Than Just Its Uses Perhaps one of the most understated advantages of process data is its cultural value.—
Ihor Yurchenko,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Flowering woody shrubs that bloom on new wood tolerate or thrive on fairly aggressive pruning, while those that bloom on old wood require more careful, restrained pruning.—
Marie Iannotti,
The Spruce,
29 May 2026
-
Even out of context, the first meeting at the train station of Celia Johnson and Trevor Howard is ineffably moving, a model of restrained desire.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
While some political observers are brushing off speculation that a deluge of ballots could allow Steyer to crawl into the top two, conservative activists are keeping a close watch.—
Phillip M. Bailey,
USA Today,
5 June 2026
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Energy consultancy Rystad, meanwhile, believes a $1-2 per barrel premium on oil prices is a conservative estimate.—
Hanna Ziady,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
Adjective
-
Apart from the natural beauty of the five-star resort, there’s a refreshing, unpretentious anything-goes-itinerary-wise vibe.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Barrel Proof in Germantown is the rare combination of world-class and unpretentious, a neighborhood bar with over 300 bottles, roughly 80 percent of them whiskey, with a particular focus on Tennessee labels.—
Lanee Lee,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Low-key.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/low-key. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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