1
as in main
coming before all others in importance
maintains that Sir Isaac Newton remains the key figure in physical science
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in crucial
of the greatest possible importance
first—and this is key—I wasn't even there that evening
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
2
as in gateway
something that allows someone to achieve a desired goal
a good education is the key to success
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in access
the means or right of entering or participating in
he had found the key to her heart
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to reconcile
to bring to a state free of conflicts, inconsistencies, or differences
her response was perfectly keyed to the situation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of key
Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 May 2025
Qatar has also been a key financial backer of Hamas.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 25 May 2025
Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
After acquiring the key (literally) to stopping it in the last film, Ethan is now crossing the globe to get to the A.I.’s source, hoping to stop it and its human allies from taking control of all the world’s missiles and unleashing a nuclear apocalypse.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 23 May 2025
Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Boston’s 11-0 run, keyed by a pair of 3s from Brown and an Al Horford offensive board that led to a 3 from White, was a decisive stretch.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for key
Adjective
The Florida Panthers ended up being down two key forwards for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference final against the Carolina Hurricanes.
—Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 25 May 2025
Qatar has also been a key financial backer of Hamas.
—Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 25 May 2025
Noun
Reckoning Ending At the end of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, Cruise manages to wrestle the AI key from Gabriel while the pair fight in the cockpit of a biplane.
—Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 May 2025
After acquiring the key (literally) to stopping it in the last film, Ethan is now crossing the globe to get to the A.I.’s source, hoping to stop it and its human allies from taking control of all the world’s missiles and unleashing a nuclear apocalypse.
—James Grebey, Vulture, 23 May 2025
Verb
Back then, checks were manually sorted and keyed in by humans sitting in massive operations centers.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Apr. 2025
Boston’s 11-0 run, keyed by a pair of 3s from Brown and an Al Horford offensive board that led to a 3 from White, was a decisive stretch.
—The Athletic Nba Staff, New York Times, 24 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for key
Recent Examples of Synonyms for key
Adjective
-
Homelessness is certainly a major problem, said Julie Hayden, CEO of the East County Transitional Living Center, the area’s main shelter.—
Blake Nelson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 May 2025
-
Greenwood never played for his boyhood club again, despite the charges being dropped in February 2023 when the prosecution’s main witness withdrew her cooperation.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Adjective
-
As such, supplemental Federal assistance is crucial.—
Neal Earley,
Arkansas Online,
23 May 2025
-
There's one more crucial step on Wi-Fi 7's quest to increase data rates: The new protocol will provide more channel bandwidth than ever before.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
On the surface, sardines are the ideal cheeky-cute aesthetic for a summer dress or dining table (look no further than this TikTok user's sardine-style TJ Maxx haul).—
Nicole Fallert,
USA Today,
21 May 2025
-
As tea continues to flow across borders and breakfast tables, consumers, corporations, and governments all have a role to play.—
Dianne Plummer,
Forbes.com,
21 May 2025
Noun
-
With the gateway model, the central team can manage all aspects of the telemetry data management using the gateway collectors.—
Dinesh Gurumurthy,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2025
-
Astana International Financial Center governor Kazakhstan aims to be the gateway for trade between the East and the West, said Renat Bekturov, governor of the Astana International Financial Center.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
22 May 2025
Noun
-
This aerial prowess transforms dense tropical forests into three-dimensional playgrounds, granting them access to prey and escape routes otherwise inaccessible.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
-
The player will have access to the most expensive lawyers and crisis comms specialists.—
Matt Slater,
New York Times,
31 May 2025
Verb
-
Whitten reconciled creative impulses that often seemed diametrically opposed.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
29 May 2025
-
In June 2013, Tish filed for divorce, but a month later, the couple had once again reconciled.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
People.com,
28 May 2025
Adjective
-
In the place of Gantu, the character Jumba instead assumes the primary villain status in the remake.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
People.com,
24 May 2025
-
There are two primary types of retail pharmacies: chain pharmacies, which are operated by larger companies, and independent pharmacies, which are often locally owned.—
Lucas Dufalla,
Arkansas Online,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
If successful, this repatriation could supercharge domestic innovation while depriving Western labs of critical expertise.—
Moin Roberts-Islam,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
-
But at locations now facing critical shortages, staffing overnight shifts on a routine basis is no longer possible.—
Emily Mae Czachor,
CBS News,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Key.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/key. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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