keys (up)

verb

present tense third-person singular of key (up)
as in sets off

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for keys (up)
  1. sets off
  2. motivates
  3. activates
  4. induces
  5. energizes
  6. quickens
  7. inspires
  8. animates
Verb
  • Cruise stars as Digger Rockwell, an aging oil magnate whose drilling sets off an ecological disaster.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Ultimately, Miles sacrifices himself so that the others can escape, holding onto the detonator that sets off a massive explosion until his final breath.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of sets off
Verb
  • Despite his training in fine dining, what motivates him is the warmth and affection of home cooking.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2026
  • For restaurant operators, the findings offer insight into how comfortable solo diners feel and what motivates their visits.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of motivates
Verb
  • The agency rejected the recommendation, saying that using cameras that automatically activate when an officer pulls their weapon or activates a car siren could risk privacy concerns.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • And a few are very highly specific, such as the protease that activates insulin, which only cuts near a very specific series of amino acids.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of activates
Verb
  • While the Blue Demon induces perceptual disorientation, the Rooster privileges visual attention and the architectural discipline of gaze.
    — Jacqueline Ortoleva, Scientific American, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The drug induces a powerful loss of personal identity and a brief but total dissolution of time and space.
    — Ryan Sullivan, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of induces
Verb
  • The first is whether Phase 1 energizes anywhere near its early 2028 target.
    — Jon Markman, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Auspicious Jupiter energizes your 3rd House of Communication while imaginative Neptune harmonizes from your 11th House of Friends and Community, making ideas, introductions, and pitches flow more easily.
    — Tarot.com, New York Daily News, 20 July 2026
Definition of energizes
Verb
  • More potassium nitrate sustains a longer burn; more sulfur quickens the explosion.
    — Paige Williams, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026
  • As technology advances, the pace of deforestation only quickens, resulting in the penetration and destruction of even the most remote wildernesses.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 July 2026
Definition of quickens
Verb
  • There is a near-identical robot to be found at Jalsa, an Indian restaurant in my Brooklyn neighborhood, where its presence inspires the same frisson of novelty as a hands-off steering wheel.
    — Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • This inspires Other Mommy to gruesomely kill Frank in front of Bela, including blowing his head up in an outrageous explosion of blood.
    — William Earl, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of inspires
Verb
  • The drama that animates Mud is a Sisyphean one, and Wolf casts herself as agent of her own embarrassment and woe.
    — Enzo Escober, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Its legacy animates both movements seeking greater inclusion and campaigns promising to restore a national unity defined in racial or cultural terms.
    — Faisal Devji, Time, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of animates
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

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

“Keys (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/keys%20%28up%29. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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