keys to the kingdom

noun

A resource, usually information or knowledge, the possession of which gives the possessor access to power.

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Meanings

nounkeys to the kingdom pl (plural only)

alternative keys of the kingdom · alternative key to the kingdom

  1. idiomaticpluralplural onlyA resource, usually information or knowledge, the possession of which gives the possessor access to power.

    The passwords they control are the keys to the kingdom, so what protections should be taken?

    2002 April 8, InfoWorld, volume 24, number 14, page 28
    2 more examples

    This fortress, from its strong position, was considered as one of the keys to the kingdom, and had belonged to the Earl of March, a disappointed candidate for the crown, who had now attached himself to the banner of England.

    1830, John Donald Carrick, Life of Sir William Wallace of Elderslie, page 112

    Not many people bother to learn them these days. Everything is so rushed, so many demands on a senator's time. But these rules unlock the power of the Senate. They're the keys to the kingdom.

    2008, Barack Obama (quoting Senator Robert Byrd), The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream, page 119

Origin

Originating from the concept of resources that were the means of obtaining control over an actual kingdom, i.e., a realm under the rulership of a king. Compare also King James Bible Matthew 16:19, "I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven."

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

keys to the kingdom. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keys%20to%20the%20kingdom

MLA

“keys to the kingdom.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keys%20to%20the%20kingdom. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “keys to the kingdom,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/keys%20to%20the%20kingdom.

Source: keys to the kingdom on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.