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key card

American

noun

a plastic card, similar to a credit card, containing data on an embedded magnetized strip that can electronically unlock a door, activate a machine, etc.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Anything is better than just giving someone a key card.

From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026

With a digital key card for Chuck’s Arcade starting at $10, the buy-in to try out the space isn’t large, but this felt like a tentative step into adulthood.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 28, 2025

Was it really appropriate for one of the plane maker’s key suppliers to be using Dawn dish soap and a hotel key card as part of its manufacturing process?

From New York Times • Apr. 11, 2024

And why couldn't I even remember how to use my key card?

From Salon • Sep. 3, 2023

“Usually you need a key card, but the doorman vanished. That means the defenses are crumbling. Anyone can walk into the elevator now and head straight up.”

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023