as in tuneless
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of off-key
Should you ever get distracted by such off-key turns, however, the film is quick to directly remind you which other movies it’s supposed to remind you of.
—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
18 June 2026
Nilsson’s watercolors complemented the work of the Hairy Who while also being slightly off-key; imagine the same hectic ragtime played on a calliope instead of a piano.
—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
That game became a cult hit for its hilarious simulations of everyday life, complete with Miis singing off-key, forming odd relationships and generating endless memes.
—
Jason Bennett,
Arkansas Online,
24 May 2026
His swan song was often off-key.
—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
With proper training, employees learned to spot telltale signs like off-key speech or conflicting information.
—
Steve Piper,
Forbes.com,
18 Feb. 2026
Warming up, Smith throws back his head and belts Bieber lyrics, joyfully off-key.
—
Sam Kestenbaum,
Vulture,
2 Jan. 2026
Gran’s butter yellow Cadillac was a welcome surprise in the school carpool line, her slightly off-key singing voice kept me entertained in the church pews on Sunday morning, and her dining room table was the joyful location of many family celebrations.
—
Brennan Long,
Southern Living,
29 Nov. 2025
The parody came in a chaotic birthday party sketch where Carpenter and her friends told a story through intentionally off-key performances.
—
Bryan West,
Nashville Tennessean,
23 Oct. 2025
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
18 June 2026
Nilsson’s watercolors complemented the work of the Hairy Who while also being slightly off-key; imagine the same hectic ragtime played on a calliope instead of a piano.
—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
That game became a cult hit for its hilarious simulations of everyday life, complete with Miis singing off-key, forming odd relationships and generating endless memes.
—
Jason Bennett,
Arkansas Online,
24 May 2026
His swan song was often off-key.
—
Andrew Knoll,
Daily News,
26 Apr. 2026
With proper training, employees learned to spot telltale signs like off-key speech or conflicting information.
—
Steve Piper,
Forbes.com,
18 Feb. 2026
Warming up, Smith throws back his head and belts Bieber lyrics, joyfully off-key.
—
Sam Kestenbaum,
Vulture,
2 Jan. 2026
Gran’s butter yellow Cadillac was a welcome surprise in the school carpool line, her slightly off-key singing voice kept me entertained in the church pews on Sunday morning, and her dining room table was the joyful location of many family celebrations.
—
Brennan Long,
Southern Living,
29 Nov. 2025
The parody came in a chaotic birthday party sketch where Carpenter and her friends told a story through intentionally off-key performances.
—
Bryan West,
Nashville Tennessean,
23 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for off-key
Adjective
-
As is Takal, clearly having fun with the film’s queasy, lurching atmospherics, abetted by the sparse, shivery, atonal chimes of Jonathan Goldsmith’s score, and the floating, disembodied feel of Robert Leitzell’s camerawork.
-
The first concert starts with Ciani’s signature ocean sounds before Cunningham’s chords—dull, glassy—add an atonal sheen.
Adjective
-
Alas, Ligeti proved to be an extraordinarily difficult collaborator, his manic perfectionism colliding with practical reality and leading to unpleasant scenes.
-
The consequences are unpleasant, but can also turn dangerous very quickly as body temperature rises.
Adjective
-
There are also a lot of people who have never dreamed of being disagreeable in public, much less considered joining a raucous social movement.
-
The disagreeable object proved no match for the most fertile person in Montana.
Cite this Entry
“Off-key.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/off-key. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
