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
-
The timing piece is crucial, but the relationship building is everything.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
3 June 2025
-
Democrats currently hold a voter registration edge of roughly 800,000 over Republicans, but independents make up a crucial share of the electorate.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 June 2025
Noun
-
Since March 11, the U.S. proposal for a full and unconditional ceasefire has been on the table.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
2 June 2025
-
Manchester United finished this past season 15th in the table.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
1 June 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
-
With wells in rural Arizona increasingly running dry, farmers and homeowners now drill thousands of feet into the ground to access water.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
31 May 2025
-
Officials said the project also supports the town’s long-term commitment to neighborhood revitalization and inclusive park access throughout Newington.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
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
-
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
-
In the place of Gantu, the character Jumba instead assumes the primary villain status in the remake.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
People.com,
24 May 2025
Adjective
-
Beijing is the primary trading partner for many, but is also feared as a regional bully, in part due to its increasingly aggressive claims on natural resources such as critical fisheries.—
Tara Copp,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2025
-
If successful, this repatriation could supercharge domestic innovation while depriving Western labs of critical expertise.—
Moin Roberts-Islam,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Key.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/key. Accessed 8 Jun. 2025.
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