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 Should you ever get distracted by such off-key turns, however, the film is quick to directly remind you which other movies it’s supposed to remind you of. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 18 June 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 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 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
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
  • As is Takal, clearly having fun with the film’s queasy, lurching atmospherics, abetted by the sparse, shivery, atonal chimes of Jonathan Goldsmith’s score, and the floating, disembodied feel of Robert Leitzell’s camerawork.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 13 June 2026
  • 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
Definition of atonal
Adjective
  • Still, some unpleasant times may loom for the entities that depend on property tax revenue.
    — George Avalos, Mercury News, 6 July 2026
  • Taking the time to clean vent covers also prevents buildup that can lead to unpleasant odors, extra noise, or premature wear on your heating and cooling system.
    — Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 6 July 2026
Definition of unpleasant
Adjective
  • 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
  • The disagreeable object proved no match for the most fertile person in Montana.
    — Jonathan Franzen, New Yorker, 1 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 10 Jul. 2026.

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