as in tuneless
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Recent Examples of off-key
His swan song was often off-key.
—
Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
Warming up, Smith throws back his head and belts Bieber lyrics, joyfully off-key.
—Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
Gran’s butter yellow Cadillac was a welcome surprise in the school carpool line, her slightly off-key singing voice kept me entertained in the church pews on Sunday morning, and her dining room table was the joyful location of many family celebrations.
—Brennan Long, Southern Living, 29 Nov. 2025
Additionally, Sanville and Freeman’s co-mingling vocals were, depending on the moment, complementary in their harmony or shredded in their screaming, without screeching into off-key territory.
—William Earl, Variety, 12 Nov. 2025
The parody came in a chaotic birthday party sketch where Carpenter and her friends told a story through intentionally off-key performances.
—Bryan West, Nashville Tennessean, 23 Oct. 2025
The sketch centers on Kelsey (Chloe Fineman), whose affair with Domingo (Marcello Hernandez) is revealed to her husband, Matt (Andrew Dismukes), via a group of off-key girl friends.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2025
Singing off-key, dancing around, and grabbing a slice of pizza before heading out kept her in high spirits.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 19 Sep. 2025
Yet in subsequent editions, the Muirs, or perhaps their publishers, rejected that suitably plain title and replaced it with the storied but off-key Metamorphosis.
—Mark Harman
august 8, Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
Warming up, Smith throws back his head and belts Bieber lyrics, joyfully off-key.
—Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
Gran’s butter yellow Cadillac was a welcome surprise in the school carpool line, her slightly off-key singing voice kept me entertained in the church pews on Sunday morning, and her dining room table was the joyful location of many family celebrations.
—Brennan Long, Southern Living, 29 Nov. 2025
Additionally, Sanville and Freeman’s co-mingling vocals were, depending on the moment, complementary in their harmony or shredded in their screaming, without screeching into off-key territory.
—William Earl, Variety, 12 Nov. 2025
The parody came in a chaotic birthday party sketch where Carpenter and her friends told a story through intentionally off-key performances.
—Bryan West, Nashville Tennessean, 23 Oct. 2025
The sketch centers on Kelsey (Chloe Fineman), whose affair with Domingo (Marcello Hernandez) is revealed to her husband, Matt (Andrew Dismukes), via a group of off-key girl friends.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 18 Oct. 2025
Singing off-key, dancing around, and grabbing a slice of pizza before heading out kept her in high spirits.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 19 Sep. 2025
Yet in subsequent editions, the Muirs, or perhaps their publishers, rejected that suitably plain title and replaced it with the storied but off-key Metamorphosis.
—Mark Harman
august 8, Literary Hub, 8 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off-key
Adjective
-
Her aesthetics and tuneless vocals left audiences in awe and laughter.—
Raquel Willis,
Time,
19 June 2025
-
For the rest of us, a real musical comedy is a cause for celebration; most are either too tuneless to be musicals or too dull to be comedies.—
Jesse Green,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The first concert starts with Ciani’s signature ocean sounds before Cunningham’s chords—dull, glassy—add an atonal sheen.—
Andrew Ryce,
Pitchfork,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Some of it is almost atonal and experimental.—
Steve Appleford,
SPIN,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
If plastic is a must (especially in areas prone to moisture), the vinegar, baking soda, and enzyme detergent routine should get all unpleasant smells out.—
Melissa Epifano,
The Spruce,
1 May 2026
-
This can result in unpleasant odors, stains, and even mold and mildew growth.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 May 2026
Adjective
-
This is because there is a meaningful difference between disagreeing and being disagreeable.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Another bill would put regulations around data centers, although lawmakers in the final days stripped out some of the language that tech companies found disagreeable.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Off-key.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off-key. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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