low-key

[ loh-kee ]
/ ˈloʊˈki /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR low-key ON THESAURUS.COM

adjective Also low-keyed.

of reduced intensity; restrained; understated.
(of a photograph) having chiefly dark tones, usually with little tonal contrast (distinguished from high-key).

verb (used with object), low-keyed, low-key·ing.

to make or attempt to make low-key: to low-key the arms buildup.

QUIZZES

HEED THE VOX POPULI, AND TAKE THIS WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ!

Test your memory on these verbal firecrackers from the week of June 29 to July 5!
Question 1 of 7
anchorite
a granular metamorphic rock.
a person who has retired to a solitary place for a life of religious seclusion.
a hobble or fetter for a horse or other animal.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of low-key

First recorded in 1890–95

Words nearby low-key

low-fi, low-grade, low-hanging fruit, low-impact, low-income, low-key, low-level, low-level language, low-level waste, low-loader, low-lying
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to low-key

easygoing, relaxed, quiet, laid-back, sober, subtle, restrained, muted, understated, loose, muffled, low-pitched, soft-sell

Example sentences from the Web for low-key

British Dictionary definitions for low-key

low-key

low-keyed

adjective

having a low intensity or tone
restrained, subdued, or understated
(of a photograph, painting, etc) having a predominance of dark grey tones or dark colours with few highlightsCompare high-key
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012