Pronunciation: /ɔf ki/
noun a musical term used to describe singing or playing a note that is not in tune with the rest of the music
A1 I heard someone singing off key at the karaoke party.
A2 The singer was off key during the performance, but still gave it their all.
B1 The choir director noticed that one of the singers was consistently off key.
B2 The pianist played a few notes off key, but quickly corrected themselves.
C1 The orchestra's performance was flawless, except for a brief moment when the violinist played off key.
C2 Despite being a talented musician, she occasionally sings off key when she's nervous.
adjective describing something that is out of tune or not in harmony with the rest
A1 The singer was off key during the performance.
A2 I tried to play the song on the piano, but I kept hitting off key notes.
B1 The band sounded off key during their first few songs, but they eventually found their rhythm.
B2 The orchestra's rendition of the symphony was flawless, except for a few off key moments.
C1 Despite her years of training, the opera singer occasionally went off key during the difficult aria.
C2 The pianist's performance was marred by several off key passages, much to the disappointment of the audience.
adverb modifying a verb to indicate that the action is not in tune or not in harmony
A1 She sang the song off key during the school talent show.
A2 The musician played the piano off key, causing the audience to cringe.
B1 The choir sounded off key during the performance, much to the conductor's dismay.
B2 The singer's voice was slightly off key, but she managed to recover and finish the song.
C1 Despite being off key at times, the band's performance was still well-received by the audience.
C2 The pianist's fingers flew across the keys, never missing a beat even when playing slightly off key.
formal The singer hit several off key notes during the performance.
informal She sounded a bit off key when she sang that song.
slang His singing was totally off key, it was painful to listen to.
figurative The team's performance was off key, they seemed out of sync with each other.
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off keys
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