variants
also low-keyed
as in subdued
not excessively showy
hoping to make a good impression, he deliberately chose a low-key tie with a subtle pattern
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of low-key
What to Consider This intimate, low-key resort offers luxury service, but some vacationers might prefer a resort with larger rooms or more pool and restaurant options.
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Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 31 Dec. 2024
Read more Dua and Callum’s Couple Style Is, Like Them, Hot
Turner’s low-key but considered looks are the perfect backdrop to his girlfriend’s more mercurial wardrobe.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 27 Dec. 2024
Greg Gumbel, the affable and low-key sportscaster who for more than five decades was a convivial play-by-play voice and studio host for N.F.L. games, Super Bowls, the Olympics and, most memorably, the madness that descends on college basketball every March, died on Friday at his home in Davie, Fla.
—Michael S. Rosenwald, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2024
Now that December is almost in the rearview mirror, the couple, who married in April 2023, hope to enjoy a very low-key, quiet New Year's Eve.
—Aaron Rasmussen, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for low-key 
Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 31 Dec. 2024
Read more Dua and Callum’s Couple Style Is, Like Them, Hot
Turner’s low-key but considered looks are the perfect backdrop to his girlfriend’s more mercurial wardrobe.
—Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 27 Dec. 2024
Greg Gumbel, the affable and low-key sportscaster who for more than five decades was a convivial play-by-play voice and studio host for N.F.L. games, Super Bowls, the Olympics and, most memorably, the madness that descends on college basketball every March, died on Friday at his home in Davie, Fla.
—Michael S. Rosenwald, New York Times, 27 Dec. 2024
Now that December is almost in the rearview mirror, the couple, who married in April 2023, hope to enjoy a very low-key, quiet New Year's Eve.
—Aaron Rasmussen, Newsweek, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for low-key
Recent Examples of Synonyms for low-key
Adjective
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The race, which did not feature a competitive primary, began as a subdued affair.Daniel Bice, Journal Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2024
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Even a traditional white marble fireplace can have an impact in a subdued way when paired with a corresponding wall paint color.Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The Sydney ceremony appeared more understated than their wedding in Italy, which was photographed by Vogue.Toria Sheffield, People.com, 28 Dec. 2024
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Bridgehampton offers a more understated and authentic take on luxury, anchored by its equestrian heritage.Emma Reynolds, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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On the other hand, every action, inaction and reaction remains uncannily familiar, making Chowdhury’s restrained approach feel like the right one.Siddhant Adlakha, Variety, 17 Dec. 2024
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Balanced out by a pleasantly surprising undercard that included Nick Cave; Vampire Weekend; and the Evens, the restrained rock duo of Ian MacKaye and his wife, Amy Farina.Al Shipley, Vulture, 6 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Reviews of Season 2 were a bit more muted, with IndieWire’s Ben Travers writing that the return to the games this time around lacked some of the same novelty that going into this colorful and deadly world evoked the first time around.Brian Welk, IndieWire, 31 Dec. 2024
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This muted response suggests that retail investors have yet to display the widespread euphoria and exuberance typically seen at market cycle peaks.Leeor Shimron, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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His manner was earnest and thoughtful, but not without political subtext: His campaign, after all, was based on a theme of authenticity, a promise to run a trustworthy and unpretentious government.James Poniewozik, New York Times, 30 Dec. 2024
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With three miles of beaches, the island offers a refreshing and unpretentious getaway.Judy Garrison, Southern Living, 26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Homemade ice cream is a lot simpler to make than most people realize.Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 31 Dec. 2024
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The answer is simple: College football needs a new calendar to make a great game better and save it from itself.Scott Dochterman, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Then there’s the guy in the quiet car on the 10:33 A.M.Patricia Marx, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2024
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Fede Valverde’s goal highlights the quiet work at Valdebebas Madrid took Sevilla apart with two powerful shots, first from Mbappe and then by Fede Valverde.Mario Cortegana, The Athletic, 23 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Researchers also found good reason to wonder whether X changed its algorithm after July 2024, when Musk endorsed Trump, to boost his account and other conservative accounts.Vittoria Elliott, WIRED, 23 Dec. 2024
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Gaetz has been a favorite among conservative voters as well as a close ally of President-elect Donald Trump, who nominated him to lead the Justice Department as attorney general.Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Low-key.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/low-key. Accessed 9 Jan. 2025.
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