"Lowkey" as a youth word in 2025? What does the term mean?
The poll for the 2025 Youth Word of the Year is underway, and many terms are generating online debate. " Lowkey " is among the top ten. How is the term used in youth slang?
"Lowkey" originally comes from photography, describing dim light. The expression found its way into German via youth slang. As in English, it means "a little," "unobtrusive," or "secret." "Lowkey" describes situations or feelings that one doesn't want to make public—often the word can also be replaced with "actually." Examples of usage include:
- “Lowkey, I’m celebrating the outfit.”
- “I’m lowkey jealous of her new bag.”
- “The movie was lowkey good.”
"Highkey" is the opposite of "lowkey" and describes something obvious, explicit, or openly expressed. Saying "highkey" makes it clear: "I'm all in, I love this" or "it's clearly true."
- “I’m really excited for the concert!” (I’m really looking forward to the concert.)
- “She is highkey in love.” (It is clearly evident that she is in love.)
The term found its way into everyday language via digital spaces such as social media, chats and forums, where restrained expressions are particularly valued.
In photography, “low key” has long stood for a subtle mood – and in music, too, the term is occasionally used to describe a moderate tone.
Even though Langenscheidt has only just picked up the term, “lowkey” has not only been in use since 2025, but has been part of international internet slang for many years.
“Lowkey” is pronounced in German as in English:
[ˈloʊkiː] – roughly loh-ki
- “Low” as in the English word low (“loh”).
- “Key” like the English key (“kii”).
The spelling of “lowkey” is not uniform, so online you will come across “lowkey”, “low key” and “low-key”.
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