off-key

adjective

Definition of off-keynext
as in tuneless

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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 off-key Forbidden Compass feels bafflingly out of touch and off-key, with the flavor of supermarket own-brand cornflakes. — Caspar Salmon, Variety, 5 Sep. 2026 By 1988, when Phantom debuted on Broadway, the Reagan-era consumer culture and flashy opulence were on their way out, so the ornate, maximalist sets and the lush orchestrations felt off-key to reviewers. — Angelica Frey, JSTOR Daily, 20 Aug. 2026 Nobody wants to be subjected to one more triggering, off-key note of an Edwin Díaz dirge. — Mirjam Swanson, Los Angeles Times, 14 Aug. 2026 Nilsson’s watercolors complemented the work of the Hairy Who while also being slightly off-key; imagine the same hectic ragtime played on a calliope instead of a piano. — Jeremy Lybarger, Artforum, 2 June 2026 That game became a cult hit for its hilarious simulations of everyday life, complete with Miis singing off-key, forming odd relationships and generating endless memes. — Jason Bennett, Arkansas Online, 24 May 2026 His swan song was often off-key. — Andrew Knoll, Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026 With proper training, employees learned to spot telltale signs like off-key speech or conflicting information. — Steve Piper, Forbes.com, 18 Feb. 2026 Warming up, Smith throws back his head and belts Bieber lyrics, joyfully off-key. — Sam Kestenbaum, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off-key
  1. tuneless
  2. atonal
  3. unpleasant
  4. disagreeable
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
Definition of tuneless
Adjective
  • Today composers often combine tonal and atonal elements, using atonality to create feelings of uncertainty, psychological tension, or dramatic intensity.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2026
  • There are atonal jabs, and there are jazz flourishes, and there’s kind of a deeply romantic strain running through it as well.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 29 July 2026
Definition of atonal
Adjective
  • Discard soy sauce that smells unpleasant, has a sour taste, or contains mold.
    — Kait Hanson, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Cedarwood Oil Cedarwood is another essential oil with an unpleasant smell to mice as well as other pests.
    — Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • Mistaking being disagreeable with the act of disagreeing is common - especially in unsafe psychological workplaces.
    — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • There are also a lot of people who have never dreamed of being disagreeable in public, much less considered joining a raucous social movement.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 12 June 2026
Definition of disagreeable

Browse Nearby Words

offish
off-key
off-kilter
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Off-key.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off-key. Accessed 9 Sep. 2026.

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