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low-key Definition

low·-key (-kē′)

adjective

of low intensity, tone, etc.; subdued or restrained

low-key Synonyms

low-key

modif.

subdued, restrained, understated, subtle, toned-down, relaxed, easygoing, laid-back*, loose*, soft-sell*.

low-key Usage Examples

Preposition: as

  • senator: Walken is surprisingly low-key as the senator, tuning his usual craziness down to a few tensile stares.

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • keep: Hewitt, in a terrible haircut, does well when she keeps the English accent low-key, although it occasionally wanders around the country.

Modifies a noun

  • nightlife: My exploration of Florence covered two days; one night spent sampling the fairly low-key nightlife.
  • affair: In the end, Mr Griffin's visit to the city was a low-key affair with little sign of wide public support.
  • gig: Lee Evans has announced eight low-key gigs next month to prepare for a visit to the States.
  • ceremony: The pair are planning a low-key ceremony on the beaches of the US Virgin Islands.
  • resort: There are further relatively low-key resorts with good beaches on this part of the Crete coast like Gerani and Maleme.
  • entertainment: Cala San Vicente holiday nightlife is largely restricted to low-key family entertainment in the larger hotels.

Modifying Another Word

  • fairly: Bristol Jazz Festival Late August This is a fairly low-key event held in Kings Street during the August Bank Holiday.
  • relatively: Instead, the band will have a relatively low-key event at the bandroom.
  • deliberately: Deliberately low-key, it was to persuade doubters of AFCW to change allegiance.
  • pretty: Days & Nights Compared with many other resorts in Majorca, Cala Bona's nightlife is pretty low-key.
  • rather: Hence the rather low-key Pledge that we have asked people to sign.
  • very: I feels very low-key there in terms of the police.

Used with adjective complement

  • remain: The direction remains predominantly low-key to say the least.
  • keep: This came to light some months ago but had been kept very low-key.
  • seem: It seemed low-key - but it will prove a landmark election.
  • become: My projects have become much more low-key in recent years than my early gallery shows.
  • go: My own choice on how rods are finished is to go low-key, non-flash, lightweight, and good quality.