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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of key
Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 9 Jan. 2026
With the willful Sun embracing passionate Mars in your 8th House of Deep Bonds, cooperation will be key.
—Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 9 Jan. 2026
Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 10 Jan. 2026
The key is to use high-quality, pure extra-virgin olive oil, as well as a product that's fresh and properly stored.
—Kirsten Nunez, Martha Stewart, 10 Jan. 2026
Hannah Parker, NBC news, 24 Dec. 2025
But the Knicks answered with an 8-0 run, keyed by Bridges' 3-pointer and three free throws from Brunson after a flagrant foul.
—CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for key
Adjective
Retail has long been a key focus for chairman and chief executive officer Remo Ruffini and a way to build the brand’s community, and the New York store will contribute to further develop the American market.
—Noun
Fowler, who is impressed with how Matthews-Thomas has come on lately, knows that energy and production will be a big key for the Blackhawks moving forward.
—Verb
Medical Recreational and medical No legalization Use the arrow keys ↑↓←→ to navigate through the map regions.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for key
Adjective
-
And one of its main ingredients was a hair product – Afro Sheen.—
-
Then the Orion capsule will fire up its main thruster and shoot off towards the Moon on its 240,000-mile, four-day journey.—
Adjective
-
Features such as grab bars, curbless showers, shower benches, barrier-free entries and wider doors provide crucial safety benefits without sacrificing luxury.—
-
On a crucial third-and-10 just inside field goal range, Beck was confident with his pass to Marion to get well within range.—
Noun
-
Over the course of the hour-long runtime, all the girls bring their lingering tensions and disagreements to the table and air everything out.—
-
Phoenix's oldest dive bars still going strong Nothing beats a classic dive, complete with cheap drinks, pool tables and a jukebox.—
Noun
-
Moab This city in eastern Utah is a gateway to the red rock wonders of the state—many of which are found within neighboring Arches and Canyonlands national parks.—
-
The school site sits along Interstate 4 and serves as a gateway to the town.—
Noun
-
The federal government pays 90% of the costs of Idaho’s Medicaid expansion, which as of early 2025 provided access to care for about 90,000 lower-income Idaho residents who earn too much to qualify for standard Medicaid but not enough for private insurance discounts.—
-
With less access to scholarships and aid, some students may elect to choose a different path of study, potentially sinking enrollment below the quotas set by the law enacted last year.—
Verb
-
The hit Taylor Sheridan series was inspired by the real-life oil boom in West Texas and stars Billy Bob Thornton as Tommy Norris, an oil man who has reconciled with his firecracker ex-wife, Angela (Larter).—
-
People had previously reported their breakup in August 2025, but the pair appeared to reconcile in September before splitting for good in October.—
Adjective
-
If the recovering addicts’ primary task was to filter out women who wouldn’t qualify to sue—namely, those who didn’t have pelvic mesh or who did but weren’t in pain—Blake’s was to amp up the value of their lawsuits (and attorneys’ fees) by convincing them to have their mesh surgically removed.—
-
The other available Heat players who were out of the primary rotation Saturday were Keshad Johnson, Simone Fontecchio, Kasparas Jakucionis and Myron Gardner.—
Adjective
-
This trend accelerated in December as the flag state emerged as a critical shield against drone strikes and vessel seizures.—
-
The musical movies have received critical acclaim, and the second film earned five total nominations at this year's Globes — one more than the 2025 Golden Globes.—
Cite this Entry
“Key.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/key. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share