High Key definition: what "High Key" means and examples

February 9, 2026

Used to express an intense, obvious, or unapologetic truth or feeling.

High key is the loud cousin of "low key." It is used when you want to be completely "up front" about something. If you high key hate a certain song, you want everyone to know it. It adds emphasis and suggests that the speaker is being 100% sincere and doesn't care who knows it. It’s a way of being emphatic and transparent about an opinion.

Examples:

  1. "I high key need a nap after that long walk."
  2. "That was high key the most awkward conversation I've ever had."
  3. "I high key love this new cafe, the coffee is amazing."

We've compiled this dictionary of common teen slang to help parents communicate with their kids. SafetyMode is the world's most advanced parental safety app for phones, making any Android phone safe for kids. You can find out more and download the app just here.

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