key (up)

verb

Definition of key (up)next
as in to set off

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for key (up)
  1. set off
  2. motivate
  3. induce
  4. pump up
  5. motive
  6. inspire
  7. energize
  8. activate
Verb
  • In Canton, Ohio, a 46-year-old woman was shot in the back while asleep in bed after a man and others reportedly fired weapons into the air and set off fireworks to celebrate the holiday late Friday night.
    — Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 5 July 2026
  • Kevin Pina’s rocket set off an eruption of joy, only for Cape Verde to trail at half-time mostly because of Maximiliano Araujo, the only Uruguay attacker showing any semblance of form.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 July 2026
Definition of set off
Verb
  • That the notion of being a more perfect union, not the perfect union, is really what motivates me.
    — NBC news, NBC news, 5 July 2026
  • In 2011, Aguirre devised a technique to motivate his Real Zaragoza players ahead of a league match against Real Madrid.
    — Colin Millar, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of motivate
Verb
  • Earlier, engineers had to choose between slow, high-resolution systems impacted by heavy, lag-inducing computational pipelines or fast, real-time systems that sacrificed vital spatial accuracy.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 3 July 2026
  • That whiplash-inducing sum covers multi-day arena rental, top-tier security, and several headline performers.
    — Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026
Definition of induce
Verb
  • The company started its program in 2023 and has already pumped up that payout by another 57%.
    — Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • Another holiday weekend is approaching rapidly, and that means retailers are taking the opportunity to pump up the sales.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 30 June 2026
Definition of pump up
Verb
  • Stockton police said no suspect or motive information was available for this shooting either.
    — Richard Ramos, CBS News, 28 June 2026
  • At the time of writing, police have not identified a suspect or motive in her case.
    — Allison DeGrushe, StyleCaster, 12 June 2026
Definition of motive
Verb
  • Styles and Swift dated on-and-off until 2013, when their breakup inspired several songs on Swift’s 1989.
    — Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 8 July 2026
  • Richards, who slept with his guitar and kept a tape recorder by his bed in case he got inspired, came up with the riff and refrain virtually in his sleep.
    — René Ostberg, Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 July 2026
Definition of inspire
Verb
  • Progressive leaders on Monday sought to validate the success of Platner’s campaign in energizing Maine voters while disavowing Platner.
    — Justine McDaniel, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
  • Your 11th House of Friends lights up as the life-giving Sun energizes that area, squaring obligating Saturn in your 8th House of Intimacy and Shared Resources.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 6 July 2026
Definition of energize
Verb
  • Court records detail police chase A police pursuit ensued, with the deputy’s lights and sirens activated.
    — Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 7 July 2026
  • Our compassionate demeanor is activated, offering us the chance to understand ourselves and others on a soulful level.
    — Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 7 July 2026
Definition of activate
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.

Browse Nearby Words

keys (up)
key (up)
khan
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Cite this Entry

“Key (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/key%20%28up%29. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

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