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
Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 4 May 2026
Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied.
—Robert Yoon, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 6 May 2026
The four imap and nmap lines make the arrow keys move the cursor up and down in both normal and insert mode via display lines rather than the actual file lines, which really helps with arrow key navigation with long wrapping lines.
—Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 6 May 2026
Luca Evans, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
Brian Hooker told officials that his wife, Lynette Hooker, fell off their eight-foot dinghy during a trip from Hope Town to Elbow Cay in the Abaco Islands after the couple left on the night of Saturday, April 4, taking the boat keys with her and causing the engine to shut off.
—Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for key
Adjective
While refinery outages were a key driver behind those outsized increases, early signs of improvement could help ease some of the most extreme price pressures in the Great Lakes in the days ahead.
—Miami Herald Staff, Miami Herald, 4 May 2026
Here are some of the key facts about the election and data points the AP Decision Team will monitor as the votes are tallied.
—Robert Yoon, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
Noun
The key is treating it like any other accessory by grounding it with pillows, florals, and accents in a cohesive palette.
—Rachel Silva, Martha Stewart, 6 May 2026
The four imap and nmap lines make the arrow keys move the cursor up and down in both normal and insert mode via display lines rather than the actual file lines, which really helps with arrow key navigation with long wrapping lines.
—Lee Hutchinson, ArsTechnica, 6 May 2026
Verb
Livingston also keyed in on future All-Pro safety Jessie Bates III in 2018, as former Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis recalled.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 12 Apr. 2026
Brian Hooker told officials that his wife, Lynette Hooker, fell off their eight-foot dinghy during a trip from Hope Town to Elbow Cay in the Abaco Islands after the couple left on the night of Saturday, April 4, taking the boat keys with her and causing the engine to shut off.
—Janelle Griffith, PEOPLE, 10 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for key
Recent Examples of Synonyms for key
Adjective
-
The deep main compartment is large enough to fit even straw hats and nicer shoes without squishing them, and this trunk looks equally right in an airport or the lobby of the Carlyle Hotel, Mom’s favorite.—
Amanda Eyre Ward,
Travel + Leisure,
2 May 2026
-
The former senator is another big Democratic recruiting win and is a main reason why this state is a Toss-Up.—
Domenico Montanaro,
NPR,
2 May 2026
Adjective
-
Attenborough matters because, for generations of TV viewers, in scores of countries, he has been regarded as the person who best understands one crucial purpose of the medium—who has made the most fruitful use of what television, uniquely, can be for.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
8 May 2026
-
Arsenal are firmly in title-chasing mode and goal difference could still prove crucial, despite Manchester City slipping up against Everton on Monday.—
Abdul Rehman,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
A lot of my kitchen-table conversations in Sacramento sound the same right now.—
Amy Kunst,
Sacbee.com,
7 May 2026
-
For other meals, choose from Akdeniz and Tuğra Restaurant—both of which serve Turkish dishes within a fine dining setting; the former done up by Toner and Gülgün as part of the wider renovations, the latter with tables on the magnificent first-floor palace terrace.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 May 2026
Noun
-
Practical applications for the gateway include everything from managing equipment maintenance workflows to performing real-time stock checks.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
28 Apr. 2026
-
San Francisco International Airport — roughly a 90-minute drive west — serves as a major gateway with nonstop service to Tokyo.—
Lauren Schuster,
Sacbee.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Water has been a focus of the Newsom administration since his first day in office, when the governor took his cabinet to Monterey Park Tract, a rural Central Valley community that lacked access to safe drinking water.—
Ian James,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
-
If portions of the page appear blank and an ad blocker is enabled, please disable the ad blocker and refresh the page to ensure full access to the content.—
Dom Luszczyszyn,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Verb
-
Deep in Mexico’s forests, two Indigenous mycologists seek to reconcile the past and present while reimagining the future for themselves and a changing world.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
6 May 2026
-
In nature, ecological processes tend to reconcile these extremes, converging on population sizes that sustain ecosystem health long-term — the sweet spot.—
Paige Stein,
Hartford Courant,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Opponents hope to block the map from taking effect before congressional primary elections in August.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
-
The primary election will be June 30.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
Adjective
-
Three residents died at the scene, while five more were hospitalized with critical injuries, FDNY officials said.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
5 May 2026
-
As Mercury squares Pluto, feedback or a conversation may feel more intense or critical than expected.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
5 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Key.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/key. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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