low-key
23
5.0
- adjective
- /loʊ ki/
- Informal
:
discreto
- Honda's presence seems a bit more low-key this year than it has been in the past.
- a low-key approach
- relatively low-key
- remained low-key
So that was our Christmas and we had a very low key new year as well.
- So that was our Christmas and we had a very low key new year as well.
- And it's very simple and it's very low key and it works.
- You know, I really think that The thing is, is they have a very low key approach.
- Often a neighborhood for people of color or a mixed neighborhood, but definitely a low income, low rent, low key kind of place.
- They're not OTT and it's just like a lovely low key everyday top that just looks really cute and simple but stylish.
- Nothing flashy, no, no jewellery, low key car.
- It's often very low key, so you don't necessarily see it on lamp cord for your house.
Examples
-
The military, for its part, initially undertook a somewhat low-key role during the late 1940s and 1950s.
Academic text (1990) -
He prefers to keep it very low key and not be the centre of attention.
-
So that was our Christmas and we had a very low key new year as well.
-
And it's very simple and it's very low key and it works.
-
So we had a little night out yesterday, very chill, very low key, which I love.
-
And it's a very low-key thing.
-
We're totally gonna keep it low-key, too.
-
We try to stay low-key.
-
We currently make our home in a low-key, neighborly suburb outside of Washington, DC.
Blog text (2) -
They decided to have a low-key wedding ceremony with just close friends and family.
Synonyms
220
1.0
Plain and without decoration
208
1.0
Simple and not decorated or flavored
189
1.0
Not attracting attention and simple in style
27
6.5
Simple and quiet in a way that looks elegant
16
5.4
Very simple and with few details in art, design, or music
15
2.7
Simple and plain without anything special or expensive
9
5.1
Simple and honest in style and not trying to impress people
9
4.2
Soft and not bright, like pale colors or quiet sounds
5
3.8
Simple and basic without extra services or decoration
1
7.8
Simple and modest in style and not trying to attract attention
1
4.4
Simple in style and not trying to attract attention
1
5.9
Quiet and simple in style, not showy
Looks modest and simple and does not attract attention
Simple and modest in style or behaviour
Simple in style and not exaggerated
Plain and simple, not expensive or decorated
Simple and plain with no extra things or decorations
Antonyms
How Showy
35
6.5
69
4.1
65
3.2
- Informal
23
5.0
192
3.3
208
1.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
Etymology
Low-key comes from the parts low ('not loud or bright') and key ('tone' or the main light in a picture); photographers and film makers used low-key to describe 'soft, dark lighting'. So low-key now means calm, simple, and not showy.