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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of key
Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
Three key juniors – guards Ava Vieira, Jianna Foran and Ava Topliff – who lead the team and a strong freshman class, which includes 6-foot-1 center Hailey Mayo.
—Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2025
Libby Schaaf, TIME, 13 Jan. 2025
DeRozan drove to the middle of the lane and spun to the same left side of the key.
—Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 12 Jan. 2025
Moneyshow, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Heinola sought to key a breakout, then curled to the left wing boards — the far side from the bench — before trying a pass that didn’t work.
—Murat Ates, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for key 
Adjective
But, as Hurston must have understood on some level, there was little chance that Hollywood would touch her book, because the key move in her revision of Biblical history was the denial of the divinity of Jesus.
—Louis Menand, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
Three key juniors – guards Ava Vieira, Jianna Foran and Ava Topliff – who lead the team and a strong freshman class, which includes 6-foot-1 center Hailey Mayo.
—Lori Riley, Hartford Courant, 13 Jan. 2025
Noun
The key: improving the user experience of our government.
—Libby Schaaf, TIME, 13 Jan. 2025
DeRozan drove to the middle of the lane and spun to the same left side of the key.
—Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 12 Jan. 2025
Verb
And my years of experience have taught me that those scams gain effectiveness by keying on investor emotion — whether that emotion is greed or fear.
—Moneyshow, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024
Heinola sought to key a breakout, then curled to the left wing boards — the far side from the bench — before trying a pass that didn’t work.
—Murat Ates, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for key
Recent Examples of Synonyms for key
Adjective
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Experian, as one of the three main credit bureaus, holds significant power over consumers' financial health.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 7 Jan. 2025
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The nonprofit’s main campus is in Fort Lauderdale; its satellite campus is in Pembroke Pines.Caitlin Granfield, Miami Herald, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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In the case of the disaster that is now unfolding, the unusually dry conditions played a crucial role in setting the stage for extreme wildfires; a similarly powerful windstorm in Pasadena in December 2011 was preceded by a damp November, helping to prevent any significant fires.Ned Kleiner, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
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Solving a key pain point for or with a colleague early on can be a powerful way to build these crucial relationships.Andrew Block, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025
Noun
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At the very end of the skit, Curtis could be seen defibrillating a person on a surgery table — all while not breaking pace in her workout routine.Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 9 Jan. 2025
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The pressure falls squarely on the Bengals to remove any drama since by not signing the two stars earlier, all the leverage has shifted to the other side of the table.Paul Dehner Jr., The Athletic, 9 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Immediately after the Voyager returned its first images of Saturn's strange feature, even stranger theories arose to explain it, including that it was somehow related to alien technology, or perhaps even was a gateway to hell.Ailsa Harvey, Space.com, 17 Jan. 2025
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The city is the gateway to Puglia’s Salento peninsula, which is known for fantastic beaches on both the Adriatic and Ionian seas.Laura Itzkowitz, AFAR Media, 15 Jan. 2025
Noun
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Greenland has access to the Arctic, where international competition has risen in recent years as nations race to claim northern territory in the hopes of accessing natural resources abundant in the region such as gold, silver, copper and uranium.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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There are 12 ski mountains immediately around the city, which has an international airport and great rail connectivity, and the local Ski Plus City Pass give you access to all of them, free local transport and admission to city attractions as well, a pretty unique product in skiing.Larry Olmsted, Forbes, 7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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These tools can reconcile your annual gains and losses and generate Form 8949 and Schedule D for accurate reporting.Shehan Chandrasekera, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
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Gaiman and Palmer reconciled in 2021 but soon split again and have been locked in acrimonious divorce proceedings ever since.Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 16 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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These requirements cover two primary categories: businesses legally obligated to maintain accounts and other entities with annual net revenue exceeding DKK 300,000 for two successive years.Aleksandra Bal, Forbes, 12 Jan. 2025
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There are many bedrooms located upstairs, including the spacious primary suite that overlooks the verdant grounds.Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Additionally, 25 percent of younger Americans pointed to housing costs as a critical area for government focus, while only 10 percent of those aged 60 and above shared this view.Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
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To fulfill this mission and turn its vision into reality, the company has developed comprehensive training and development offerings that address competencies critical to organizational success.William Mullane, USA TODAY, 7 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near key
Cite this Entry
“Key.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/key. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.
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