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Synonyms

off-key

American  
[awf-kee, of-] / ˈɔfˈki, ˈɒf- /

adjective

  1. deviating from the correct tone or pitch; out of tune.

  2. Informal. somewhat irregular, abnormal, or incongruous.

off key British  

adjective

  1. music

    1. not in the correct key

    2. out of tune

  2. out of keeping; discordant

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of off-key

First recorded in 1925–30

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.

After Hegseth gave us his version of news headlines, he performed a brief off-key song and dance before skating out of the room having accomplished little and settling nothing.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

Amid all of this, responses from the administration were sometimes glaringly off-key.

From BBC • Jan. 12, 2025

These songs look and feel like old-Hollywood-style musical numbers, but charm because of their imperfections; characters sing off-key, they lose their breath and their voices crack.

From Salon • Dec. 7, 2024

True to Caray, it appealed to the masses for being endearingly off-key.

From New York Times • Aug. 4, 2023

Poppy joined in off-key as he stepped into the bathroom and Rafik pretended to be playing a trombone.

From "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.