Standard Lemma guide

low-key

adj · adv · 6 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈləʊki/
  • UK: /ˌləʊˈkiː/
  • US: /ˈloʊˈki/
  • US: /ˌloʊˈki/
  • US: /ˈloʊki/ occasionally
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • homophone: Loki (in some pronunciations)
  • rhymes with -əʊki

1

adj

Meaning 1

Dark; characterized by dark tones and muted colors.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: art, arts, hobbies, lifestyle, photography

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: high-key

2

adj

Meaning 2

Restrained, subtle, not trying to attract attention.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: broadly, figuratively

Examples

  • She deserves an Oscar for her low-key performance in that movie.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: bedizened, blatant, blingish, brash, campy, catchpenny, chichi, chintzy, corny, crass, crude, flashy, flaunting, florid, flossy, froufrou, garish, gauche, gaudy, gay, glaring, gross, gussied up, hideous, kitsch, kitschy, loud, meretricious, naff, obtrusive, ostentatious, pizazzy, pretentious, ritzy, raffish, schlocky, showy, snazzy, splendiferous, tacky, tasteless, tawdry, tinselly, too much, trinkety, unbecoming, untasteful, vain, whorish, zesty

3

adv

Meaning 3

Used as a downtoner; kind of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Canada, US, colloquial

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adv

Meaning 4

Actually; seriously.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: colloquial

Qualifier: African-American Vernacular

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

adv

Meaning 5

In a low-key or surreptitious manner; secretively; understatedly; on the down-low.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: slang

Qualifier: African-American Vernacular

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: furtively

Antonyms: none provided

6

adjective satellite

Meaning 6

restrained in style or quality

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • a little masterpiece of low-keyed eloquence

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: low-keyed, subdued

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From low + key.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Finnish: alasävyinen — characterised by dark tones and muted colours
  • German: gedämpft — characterised by dark tones and muted colours
  • Irish: íosghile — characterised by dark tones and muted colours
  • Bulgarian: скромен (skromen) — restrained, subtle
  • Bulgarian: въздържан (vǎzdǎržan) — restrained, subtle
  • Chinese Mandarin: 低調 /低调 (dīdiào) — restrained, subtle
  • Chinese Mandarin: 克制 (kèzhì) — restrained, subtle
  • Finnish: hillitty — restrained, subtle
  • Finnish: pidättyvä — restrained, subtle
  • German: maßvoll — restrained, subtle
  • German: zurückhaltend — restrained, subtle
  • Macedonian: во́здржан (vózdržan) — restrained, subtle
  • Macedonian: здр́жан (zdŕžan) — restrained, subtle
  • Macedonian: скро́мен (skrómen) — restrained, subtle