low-key en · ADJ
Pronunciation
- /ˌləʊkiː/ (UK) secondary stress
- /ˌloʊˈki/ (US)
- /ˌloʊki/ (US) secondary stress
- /ˌloʊˌki/ (US)
- /ˌləʊˌkiː/ (UK)
- /ˌləʊˈkiː/ (UK)
- (Australia) audio
- (US) audio
Etymology
From low + key.
Meanings
-
Dark; characterized by dark tones and muted colors.
The classic example of low key photography is a black cat in a coal cellar. […] The most popular use of low-key photography is in making portraits of celebrities or theatrical personalities. These people demand either dignity or drama, and this type of lightning is appropriate for both.
1942 November, Victor Keppler, “Key to Good Pictures”, in Popular Photography, →ISSN, page 98:
-
(broadly, figuratively) Restrained, subtle, not trying to attract attention.
The relatively low-key opening was attended by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram, who declared "We have a brand-new station serviced with brand-new lines and new publicly owned trains.
2023 October 18, Chris Howe, “Network News: Headbolt Lane station opens on Merseyrail”, in RAIL, number 994, page 22:[David Blaine's] deceptively low-key, ultracool manner leaves spectators more amazed than if he'd razzle-dazzled.
1997 May 19, David Handelman, “The Wizard of Grunge”, in TIME, archived from the original on 05 Nov 2012:For a low-key, somewhat predictable meal, dinner at Basem's offers good value.
1984 November 18, Patricia Brooks, “Specials Best at Low-Key Spot”, in The New York Times, →ISSN, archived from the original on 22 Apr 2021:She deserves an Oscar for her low-key performance in that movie.
From the Samba band and colourfully-clad dancers that made a lap of Wembley before kick-off - even prompting some neat moves from one or two Brazilian journalists - to the roars of delight every time Neymar got on the ball, it was still a night that contained entertainment despite the increasingly low-key fare on the pitch.
2017 November 14, Phil McNulty, “England 0-0 Brazil”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 27 Mar 2018:[Senator Todd] Young is a low-key Indiana lawmaker with an enthusiasm for wonky, but important national security issues. He's a protégé of the late Sen. Richard Lugar, a low-key Indiana lawmaker who had an enthusiasm for wonky but important national security issues.
2025 April 11, Steve Inskeep, “One Republican tries to make sense of Trump's tariffs”, in NPR, archived from the original on 24 Apr 2025:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| low key | alternative | lexicographic | |
| lowk | alternative | lexicographic | |
| LWK | alternative | lexicographic | |
| more low-key | Degree=Cmp | lexicographic | |
| lowkey | alternative | lexicographic | |
| most low-key | Degree=Sup | lexicographic | |
| lwk | alternative | lexicographic |
Antonyms
ostentatious · gussied up · flashy · tasteless · vain · high-key · brash · crude · meretricious · tinselly · ritzy · crass · zesty · too much · froufrou · gay · bedizened · chichi · pizazzy · splendiferous · campy · corny · kitschy · snazzy · naff · gross · untasteful · blatant · gaudy · florid · whorish · tawdry · glaring · hideous · garish · raffish · showy · trinkety · kitsch · gauche · pimped out · chintzy · catchpenny · obtrusive · schlocky · tacky · blingish · flaunting · unbecoming · flossy · loud · pretentious
Coordinates
Deriveds
Translations (14)
de zurückhaltend (restrained, subtle) · bg скромен (restrained, subtle) · fi pidättyvä (restrained, subtle) · cmn 低調 /低调 (restrained, subtle) · de gedämpft (characterised by dark tones and muted colours) · fi hillitty (restrained, subtle) · fi alasävyinen (characterised by dark tones and muted colours) · de maßvoll (restrained, subtle) · mk во́здржан (restrained, subtle) · cmn 克制 (restrained, subtle) · mk скро́мен (restrained, subtle) · bg въздържан (restrained, subtle) · mk здр́жан (restrained, subtle) · ga íosghile (characterised by dark tones and muted colours)