What do the English words "lowkey"/"highkey" mean? How do you use them?

“Low key” and “high key” are Gen Z intensifiers that express different levels of emphasis or certainty about feelings or opinions. This is the way they are used online, mainly by younger people. My father, who is in his 80s, would likely intuit the following meanings but would never use these phrases in the following way. **Low key** means “kind of,” “somewhat,” or “secretly.” It’s used when you want to downplay something or admit to something you might not want to fully own up to. For example: - “I’m low key stressed about this exam” (I’m somewhat stressed, but trying not to make a big deal of it) - “That movie was low key boring” (It was kind of boring, but I’m not being too harsh about it) - “I low key miss my ex” (I secretly/somewhat miss them, but I don’t want to fully admit it) **High key** is the opposite - it means “very,” “obviously,” or “definitely.” It’s used for emphasis when you want to be clear and direct about something. For example: - “I’m high key excited for the concert” (I’m very obviously excited) - “That restaurant is high key overpriced” (It’s definitely/clearly overpriced) - “She’s high key talented” (She’s obviously very talented) Both terms let you express intensity while maintaining a casual, conversational tone. “Low key” adds a sense of understated honesty, while “high key” adds emphatic clarity without sounding too formal or dramatic.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

it's modern slang to mean kind of "not obvious/very obvious"

hmm. they're a little hard to articulate. It's used pretty much only by the new generation, and it's very informal so keep that in mind. Well, lowkey basically means kinda. You'll need to look at examples to get a real feel of the word, but it's simple once you understand the concept.

Both are slang. Lowkey means it's something you're doing quietly, sneakily, under the table, etc. Highkey is more recent and means the opposite, something you're doing very publicly

Lowkey means "under the radar" or "not seeking attention." I've never heard anyone say highkey.

i've actually never read/heard "high-key" used in any media. low-key means being modest. not showy. doesn't attract attention. "No one noticed that the groom was low-key drunk during the wedding."

>low-key *adv. - informal* (secretly, with embarrassment) "I lowkey want to buy a pound of candy and spend the day eating it in bed." Source: Wordreference >Low-key  >informal : in a way or to a degree that is moderate or limited >It didn't take long for all of us to become low-key [=somewhat] obsessed with Lizzo … >Everywhere we go, we're low-key [=casually] checking out coffee shops, parks, and window seats for maximum reading coziness. >High-key is a slang term meaning “truly; completely; intensely,” often used to emphasize the sincerity or intensity of a statement. (Also high key, highkey.) >Examples of high-key >I highkey want a new job with more money! And I will get it. > … this is high key one of my favorite shows of all time … Source: Merriam-Webster 

They're borrowed from terminology around lighting - high key lighting has limited shadows. Low key lighting has high contrast, meaning there are dark shadows. The idea of dark shadows has been extended to mean things done "in the shadows", or secretly - so doing something in a "low key" way means that it's done in a way that is secret or doesn't attract notice. This use has been semantically bleached and now is used in a way that it's more or less just an intensifier, but a bit of an odd one in that it still carries the implication of not wanting to draw attention to it. So one might say to a friend at a party "I lowkey want to get out of here", meaning they would really like to leave the party, but don't want to make a big deal about it.

Low key is not new at all.

VERY age specific. I’m in my 50’s and these sound awkward used as general adjectives. “Low key” has been around for a long time, generally used to describe things, often an event or situation, that would not require much fuss, or should not have attention drawn to it - a low key meeting, a low key party, “it was a low key affair for just a few friends and close family” “let’s keep it low key - don’t need a lot of people knowing”. It would not have been used to describe objects or feelings… “I’m low key concerned” doesn’t make any sense to older people. “High key” is totally new/made-up, and even more non-sensical to anyone of my generation. I see the connection, but it sounds ridiculous.

Gen zed isms. I loathe them. Low key used to mean something like understated I think, “oh it’s casual dress: we just want to keep it low key”

"Lowkey" means something is kinda true but not super strong or obvious - like "I lowkey hate Mondays" (I don’t really hate them, but... yeah, Mondays suck). "Highkey" is the opposite - when you feel something STRONGLY. Like "I highkey love pizza" (I’m obsessed, no shame). I learned them from TikTok tbh 😅 At first I thought "lowkey" meant "secretly," but it’s more like "a little bit" or "not gonna lie."

“Low key” was a phrase that traditionally meant something was secret, subtle, or weak. Now Gen Z uses it as an all-purpose qualifier because they don’t want to be seen to make any definitive statement. As a result you often see it on sentences that would otherwise be expressing a high degree of confidence or emotion: “I think I’m low key in love with him.” “He low key beat that guy to a pulp!” (My own generation does the same thing with “like.”) And therefore “high key” is used as an intensifier when the Gen Z speaker gets past their natural human reticence and wishes to actually commit to a strong statement.

I never use the word high-key

Thanks to everyone, I really learned a lot about the words. • The word “lowkey” mostly means “not very important” or “not very certain” about a subject. • The word “highkey” is far less common since it’s a more recent creation, but it is sometimes used as the opposite of “lowkey,” meaning “very important” or “very certain.” • Both terms seem to come from words used in photography lighting, but there’s a possibility they originated from musical keys. ･ The word “lowkey” or “low key” was often used as an adjective (e.g., a low-key meeting), so its use as an adverb might confuse some people, especially older generations. Love you guys from Japan 😍

Popping in to once again point out that these are African American Vernacular English words that have become a part of the American lexicon and are not simply Gen Z slang

Deja vu on this

Oh god please don’t learn this