What is another word for key?

Synonyms for key
kikey

This thesaurus page includes all potential synonyms, words with the same meaning and similar terms for the word key.

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and Antonyms3.0 / 1 vote

  1. key

    Synonyms:
    clew, guide, explanation, solution

Princeton's WordNet2.0 / 1 vote

  1. keynoun

    metal device shaped in such a way that when it is inserted into the appropriate lock the lock's mechanism can be rotated

    Synonyms:
    samara, tonality, cay, paint, headstone, keystone, key fruit, winder

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  2. keynoun

    something crucial for explaining

    "the key to development is economic integration"

    Synonyms:
    samara, tonality, cay, paint, headstone, keystone, key fruit, winder

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  3. keynoun

    pitch of the voice

    "he spoke in a low key"

    Synonyms:
    samara, tonality, cay, paint, headstone, keystone, key fruit, winder

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  4. key, tonalitynoun

    any of 24 major or minor diatonic scales that provide the tonal framework for a piece of music

    Synonyms:
    samara, tonality, cay, paint, headstone, keystone, key fruit, winder

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  5. keynoun

    a kilogram of a narcotic drug

    "they were carrying two keys of heroin"

    Synonyms:
    samara, tonality, cay, paint, headstone, keystone, key fruit, winder

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  6. samara, key fruit, keynoun

    a winged often one-seed indehiscent fruit as of the ash or elm or maple

    Synonyms:
    samara, tonality, cay, paint, headstone, keystone, key fruit, winder

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  7. Key, Francis Scott Keynoun

    United States lawyer and poet who wrote a poem after witnessing the British attack on Baltimore during the War of 1812; the poem was later set to music and entitled `The Star-Spangled Banner' (1779-1843)

    Synonyms:
    samara, tonality, cay, paint, headstone, keystone, key fruit, winder

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  8. key, cay, Florida keynoun

    a coral reef off the southern coast of Florida

    Synonyms:
    samara, tonality, cay, paint, headstone, keystone, key fruit, winder

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  9. key, paintnoun

    (basketball) a space (including the foul line) in front of the basket at each end of a basketball court; usually painted a different color from the rest of the court

    "he hit a jump shot from the top of the key"; "he dominates play in the paint"

    Synonyms:
    samara, tonality, rouge, cay, paint, headstone, pigment, blusher, keystone, key fruit, winder

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  10. keynoun

    a list of answers to a test

    "some students had stolen the key to the final exam"

    Synonyms:
    samara, tonality, cay, paint, headstone, keystone, key fruit, winder

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  11. keynoun

    a list of words or phrases that explain symbols or abbreviations

    Synonyms:
    samara, tonality, cay, paint, headstone, keystone, key fruit, winder

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  12. keynoun

    a generic term for any device whose possession entitles the holder to a means of access

    "a safe-deposit box usually requires two keys to open it"

    Synonyms:
    samara, tonality, cay, paint, headstone, keystone, key fruit, winder

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  13. winder, keynoun

    mechanical device used to wind another device that is driven by a spring (as a clock)

    Synonyms:
    samara, tonality, cay, paint, headstone, keystone, key fruit, winder

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  14. keystone, key, headstonenoun

    the central building block at the top of an arch or vault

    Synonyms:
    samara, tombstone, tonality, keystone, backbone, paint, lynchpin, linchpin, gravestone, winder, headstone, anchor, key fruit, mainstay, cay

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  15. keyadjective

    a lever (as in a keyboard) that actuates a mechanism when depressed

    Synonyms:
    samara, tonality, cay, paint, headstone, keystone, key fruit, winder

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  16. cardinal, central, fundamental, key, primalverb

    serving as an essential component

    "a cardinal rule"; "the central cause of the problem"; "an example that was fundamental to the argument"; "computers are fundamental to modern industrial structure"

    Synonyms:
    fundamental, primeval, primordial, profound, cardinal, underlying, central, rudimentary, aboriginal, primaeval, primal

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  17. identify, discover, key, key out, distinguish, describe, nameverb

    identify as in botany or biology, for example

    Synonyms:
    account, detect, distinguish, chance upon, signalise, trace, let out, separate, place, secern, bring out, reveal, disclose, attain, let on, depict, cite, find, describe, get word, differentiate, fall upon, refer, strike, spot, report, nominate, make, pick out, see, find out, expose, bring up, give away, mark, break, appoint, severalise, tell apart, signalize, happen upon, delineate, list, divulge, identify, make out, come across, key out, observe, get a line, notice, recognize, line, name, pick up, call, mention, draw, discern, advert, recognise, tell, unwrap, constitute, learn, come upon, light upon, get wind, chance on, diagnose, discover, secernate, severalize, hear

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  18. keyverb

    provide with a key

    "We were keyed after the locks were changed in the building"

    Synonyms:
    distinguish, describe, discover, identify, name, key out

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  19. keyverb

    vandalize a car by scratching the sides with a key

    "His new Mercedes was keyed last night in the parking lot"

    Synonyms:
    distinguish, describe, discover, identify, name, key out

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  20. keyverb

    regulate the musical pitch of

    Synonyms:
    distinguish, describe, discover, identify, name, key out

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

  21. keyverb

    harmonize with or adjust to

    "key one's actions to the voters' prevailing attitude"

    Synonyms:
    distinguish, describe, discover, identify, name, key out

    Antonyms:
    unimportant

Editors Contribution0.0 / 0 votes

  1. capsid

    a way to open something

    the virus' capsid was like a key to a lock.

    Submitted by rinat on January 12, 2016  

Dictionary of English Synonymes3.0 / 1 vote

  1. keynoun

    Synonyms:
    clew, guide, explanation, solution, elucidation, CLAVIS

  2. keynoun

    Synonyms:
    tonic, key-note, fundamental note, first note of the scale

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated Words2.0 / 1 vote

  1. keynoun

    Associated words:
    claviger, clavigerous, cleidomancy, escutcheon, lock

  2. keynoun

    Synonyms:
    pitch, tone

  3. keynoun

    Synonyms:
    clew, solution, guide, explanation, elucidation, clavis, wharf, quay, forelock, cotter, bar, pin, samara

Nicknames3.0 / 1 vote

  1. List of known nicknames for "Key":

    Ki-bum Kim, Kim Kibum, Kibummie, Bummie, Almighty Key, Diva Key, Kimbap, Gwiboon, 김기범, Kim Ki-bum

Suggested Resources

  1. KEY

    What does KEY stand for? -- Explore the various meanings for the KEY acronym on the Abbreviations.com website.

How to pronounce key?

How to say key in sign language?

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

Words popularity by usage frequency

rankingword
#64see
#100find
#104top
#107list
#108name
#132make
#224report
#228line
#316place
#342guide
#361account
#373main
#374call
#424learn
#462large
#569key
#573important
#638major
#686central
#689notice
#723tell
#834mark
#945basic
#1091solution
#1243primary
#1406significant
#1465leading
#1617core
#1618break
#1736hear
#1783critical
#2131essential
#2228separate
#2244identify
#2831principal
#2884refer
#2915spot
#2995discover
#3114describe
#3231keys
#3350draw
#3445paint
#3884strike
#3935mention
#4428fundamental
#4474explanation
#4730recognize
#4760vital
#5503trace
#5739underlying
#6242crucial
#6492constitute
#6900anchor
#7029detect
#7124reveal
#7591observe
#7982cite
#7983aboriginal
#8822rouge
#9419disclose
#9541advert
#9954unwrap
#10082cardinal
#10269distinguish
#11321profound
#12149appoint
#12168recognise
#12366expose
#14066backbone
#14461diagnose
#14738keystone
#14782attain
#15034cle
#17309wrench
#17532nominate
#17787differentiate
#18032decisive
#19816pigment
#20616primal
#20732depict
#21478pivotal
#26153dongle
#26256cay
#26968discern
#28183tombstone
#31770mainstay
#34512winder
#36939rudimentary
#38702primordial
#42688divulge
#43763delineate
#44760samara
#45382headstone
#51573gravestone
#63365primeval
#85120tonality
#108269clew
#110039linchpin
#119593blusher
#190974lynchpin

How to use key in a sentence?

  1. Said Bennett:

    Any key academic measure falling is bad news. Third-grade literacy falling is catastrophic both nationally and individually.And as has always been the case, when schools fail, the groups that are the hardest hit are those already at highest risk.

  2. David McQueen:

    Although AirTags are probably going to be fairly low priced, they may help to grow revenue, and users may buy multiple tags for different scenarios, such as for a bag, bike or car keys, it may also spark a rise in the manufacture of accessories to house the tags, such as a key fob, keychain or wrist strap.

  3. Mark Davies:

    Africa is key to global food supply and we need to unlock its potential.

  4. Gloria Rodriguez:

    The Osundairo brothers were not advocating for any specific sentence, they deferred to the wisdom and experience of Dan Webb and his team, including Sam Mendenhall and Sean Weiber, to bring the Smollett case to its final conclusion, the Honorable Judge Linn found the Osundairo brothers not to be criminally connected to Mr. Smollett's crime in any way, and for anyone continuing to state otherwise simply does not understand the laws or facts in this case. JUSSIE SMOLLETT: KEY MOMENTS SINCE ACTOR REPORTED CHICAGO ATTACK.

  5. Madhu Bhaskaran:

    The key here is thresholds.


Translations for key

From our Multilingual Translation Dictionary

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"key." Synonyms.com. STANDS4 LTD, 2026. Web. 23 Jul 2026. <https://www.synonyms.com/synonym/key>.

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    A synonym for scanty
    A Dearth
    B Inaugurate
    C Spurious
    D Gumption

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