off-key
adjective
deviating from the correct tone or pitch; out of tune.
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off-key
American
[awf-kee, of-]
/ ˈɔfˈki, ˈɒf- /
adjective
-
deviating from the correct tone or pitch; out of tune.
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Informal. somewhat irregular, abnormal, or incongruous.
off key
British
adjective
-
music
-
not in the correct key
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out of tune
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-
out of keeping; discordant
Etymology
Origin of off-key
First recorded in 1925–30
Explanation
Something that's off-key is out of tune or unmusical. If your jazz band is off-key from the first note of their first song, it'll make the audience cringe. You might not care if your friends are off-key when they sing "Happy Birthday" and present you with a chocolate cake, but you may want to get your money back if you buy expensive tickets to hear an orchestra play off-key renditions of Bach and Beethoven. This musical meaning inspired the figurative off-key, meaning "not fitting" or "clashing": "The mayor's big-city values are off-key in our little village."
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
On the love song “Easy,” she sounds creaky and weathered, flittering off-key.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 25, 2026
He and his comrades were often forced to sing Soviet songs and were punished if they didn't sing "loud enough or sang off-key".
From Barron's ● May 8, 2026
After Hegseth gave us his version of news headlines, he performed a brief off-key song and dance before skating out of the room having accomplished little and settling nothing.
From Salon ● Mar. 14, 2026
Stewart and the correspondents then serenaded the president with an off-key tune filled with compliments and praises.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2025
She didn’t seem to mind their off-key voices, although Gregor could feel the muscles in Ares’s neck getting tighter with each verse.
From "Gregor the Overlander" by Suzanne Collins
On that side, the Chinese navy ships are also often stationed off key Taiwanese military bases at Hualien and Taitung, the security officials said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 20, 2026
In addition, the CEO cut off key finance officials from banking authorisation, granting power of attorney to individuals with no financial experience.
From Barron's ● Oct. 14, 2025
In the US, business groups said the raid was likely to hit local business activity as well, as it scares off key parts of the workforce.
From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2025
NFL Week 16 picks: Broncos-Chargers matchup Thursday kicks off key divisional rivalries that could determine playoff opponents ... and who might miss out.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 19, 2024
He let it go at that, and went out the door ahead of me, whistling off key.
From "A Separate Peace" by John Knowles
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