acute
Other forms: acutest; acuter; acutes
Use the adjective acute for when you want to describe something as sharp or extremely serious.
The word acute is one word; it's not two words, nor does it have anything to do with something small, cuddly, and pretty! Acute really means "sharp" or "severe" or "intense" and modifies certain kinds of angles in geometry or describes a certain kind of illness of short duration. The English word apparently entered the language during the sixteenth century from the Latin root acutus, which means "sharp" or "pointed."
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ending in a sharp point
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synonyms:
acuate, needlelike, sharp
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pointed
having a point
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pointed
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extremely sharp or intense
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having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions“an acute observer of politics and politicians”
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synonyms:
discriminating, incisive, keen, knifelike, penetrating, penetrative, piercing, sharp
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perceptive
having the ability to perceive or understand; keen in discernment
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perceptive
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of critical importance and consequence“an acute (or critical) lack of research funds”
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synonyms:
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critical
being in or verging on a state of crisis or emergency
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critical
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having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course“acute appendicitis”“the acute phase of the illness”“acute patients”
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synonyms:
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subacute
less than acute; relating to a disease present in a person with no symptoms of it
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antonyms:
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chronic
being long-lasting and recurrent or characterized by long suffering
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degenerative
(of illness) marked by gradual deterioration of organs and cells along with loss of function
- show more antonyms...
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subacute
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of an angle; less than 90 degrees
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antonyms:
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obtuse
of an angle; between 90 and 180 degrees
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obtuse
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a mark (') placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation
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synonyms:
acute accent, ague
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type of:
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accent, accent mark
a diacritical mark used to indicate stress or placed above a vowel to indicate a special pronunciation
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accent, accent mark
/əˈkjut/
/əˈkjut/
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Vocabulary lists containing acute
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