high-key

adjective

Characterized by light tones and the absence of a shadow.

“(except in meiosis)”

Opposite
low-key
Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

adjectivehigh-key (comparative more high-key, superlative most high-key)

comparative more high-key · superlative most high-key · alternative highkey · alternative high key · alternative highk

  1. artCharacterized by light tones and the absence of a shadow.

    Details are tremendously important in composing an outstanding high-key photograph.

    1942 November, Victor Keppler, “Key to Good Pictures”, in Popular Photography, →ISSN, page 29
adverbhigh-key (comparative more high-key, superlative most high-key)

comparative more high-key · superlative most high-key · alternative highkey · alternative high key · alternative highk

  1. colloquialuncommonIn a conspicuous way.
  2. CanadaUScolloquialUsed as an intensifier; really.

    (except in meiosis)

    2 more examples

    I'm highkey pissed at you right now.

    High key no longer wanna tell anyone anything that’s going on with me.

    2022 January 31, BIG XO (@Raveyxoxo_), Twitter

    Antonyms: low-key

Synonyms & antonyms

adverbUsed as an intensifier; really.

Opposite
low-key
Also see
highkenuinely

Origin

From high + key.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Finnish yläsävyinen
  • yläsävyinencharacterized by light tones and the absence of a shadow
Cite this entry
APA

high-key. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/high-key

MLA

“high-key.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/high-key. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “high-key,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/high-key.

Source: high-key on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.