off-key

adjective or adverb

1
: varying in pitch from the proper tone of a melody
2

Examples of off-key in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Look at it through the lens of a dual star vehicle that isn’t afraid to sacrifice coherence in the name of cheap thrills, and this bird only slightly sings off-key. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 10 Aug. 2024 Riley belts out the latest Lady Raven tunes in the car while Dad hides his winces, clearly in love with his off-key angel. Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 2 Aug. 2024 Enlarge Peter Muller Singing off-key in front of others is one way to get embarrassed. Elizabeth Rayne, Ars Technica, 1 Aug. 2024 In the wrong hands, an organ can be positively off-key, an assault against the ears. Alfredo Sosa, The Christian Science Monitor, 7 June 2024 Wilson, the group’s conductor, listened carefully for off-key notes as the sound of violins, cellos and flutes filled the air. Adam Bearne, NPR, 3 June 2024 Over the years, more than a few acts have sailed into the Grand Final favored to win, only to have a hesitant, breathless or off-key vocal in the live performance destroy their chances. Glen Weldon, NPR, 9 May 2024 My younger sisters could either hold a tune or were young and cute enough to get away with singing off-key. Lyz Lenz, Rolling Stone, 16 Feb. 2024 Characters like Opera Man, where Sandler, draped in a cape, regaled Weekend Update with off-key, operatic renditions of the news of the day, weren't exactly tight political satire. Dennis Perkins, EW.com, 14 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'off-key.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of off-key was in 1901

Dictionary Entries Near off-key

Cite this Entry

“Off-key.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/off-key. Accessed 18 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

off-key

adjective or adverb
ˈȯf-ˈkē
: above or below the proper tone of a melody
singing off-key

More from Merriam-Webster on off-key

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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