in key

Idioms  

1. In harmony with other factors, in a matching style, as in This furniture is perfectly in key with the overall design. This term uses key in the musical sense, that is, “a scheme of notes related to one another.” The antonym, out of key, means “not in harmony with other factors,” or “unsuitable,” as in He is out of key with his time. [c. 1900]

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

in key

Still, Novo blowing its massive lead raises fresh questions about the ability of European companies to compete in key technologies defining the global economy, financial and economic analysts say.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

One of the supply constraints was in key chip components of Apple's products, the firm said.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

Alphabet Chief Financial Officer Anat Ashkenazi said the technology company expects to continue hiring in key investment areas such as AI and cloud computing.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

As heavier dark matter particles accumulate in key regions, dark matter substructures become more effective at magnifying the light from distant background galaxies.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 14, 2026

As she read her voice was louder and seemed to shift in key.

From "Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri