key up: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Low-to-mediumInformal, occasionally literary or journalistic
Quick answer
What does “key up” mean?
To make someone excited, nervous, or tense in anticipation of an event.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To make someone excited, nervous, or tense in anticipation of an event.
To emotionally or mentally prepare or prime oneself or others for an upcoming challenging or significant situation; often implying a state of heightened alertness.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minimal; the phrasal verb is equally understood and used. Slight preference in British English for the adjectival past participle form 'keyed up'.
Connotations
Identical across both variants.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in British corpus data, but the difference is negligible.
Grammar
How to Use “key up” in a Sentence
[sb] be/get keyed up (for/about sth)[sb] key [sb/oneself] up (for sth)[sb] feel keyed upVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “key up” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The manager tried to key the players up for the cup final.
- Don't key yourself up over one meeting.
American English
- The coach keyed up the team before the championship game.
- I need to stop keying myself up about this interview.
adverb
British English
- (No standard adverbial form. Use adjectival form.)
American English
- (No standard adverbial form. Use adjectival form.)
adjective
British English
- She felt terribly keyed up before her driving test.
- The audience was keyed up for the headline act.
American English
- He's all keyed up about his vacation to Hawaii.
- The kids were keyed up before the first day of school.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used before major presentations, launches, or negotiations, e.g., 'The team was keyed up for the investor pitch.'
Academic
Rare; might appear in literary analysis or psychology texts describing character states.
Everyday
Common for describing feelings before exams, performances, job interviews, or important social events.
Technical
Not used in technical senses outside of possible niche figurative use (e.g., 'keyed up for the system launch').
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “key up”
- Using 'key up' actively without an object (incorrect: *'I key up before the game.').
- Confusing it with 'pumped up' (which is purely positive excitement).
- Misspelling as 'keed up'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is primarily used in informal or semi-formal contexts. In very formal writing, synonyms like 'agitated', 'tense', or 'in a state of anticipation' might be preferred.
Yes, but it's often ambivalent. It can describe positive excitement (keyed up for a holiday), but almost always carries an element of nervous tension or overstimulation.
'Keyed up' implies nervous energy and tension, while 'pumped up' suggests pure enthusiasm, confidence, and eagerness without the anxiety.
The correct past tense and past participle is 'keyed up' (e.g., 'She keyed him up', 'He was keyed up'). 'Key upped' is incorrect.
To make someone excited, nervous, or tense in anticipation of an event.
Key up: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkiː ˈʌp/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌki ˈʌp/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “All keyed up”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a musician 'keyed up' (tense and excited) before a concert, with their fingers literally on the keys, ready to play.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE MIND/EMOTIONS ARE A TUNEABLE INSTRUMENT (being wound/tightened to a higher pitch or key).
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'keyed up' used CORRECTLY?