acute

Meanings

1. 1adjectivecomparable

   Very severe, serious, or intensely felt.

   Grammar: Gradable: an acute problem, more acute pressure. Often before a noun or after linking verbs.

   Patterns

   • acute problem
   • acute pain
   • acute shortage

   The hospital faced an acute shortage of nurses.

   She felt acute embarrassment when the file vanished.

   Water scarcity became more acute during the dry summer.

2. 2adjectivenot comparablemedical

   In medicine, starting suddenly and severe, rather than long-lasting.

   Grammar: Medical contrast is acute versus chronic; not usually graded as more acute in this sense.

   Patterns

   • acute illness
   • acute infection
   • acute symptoms

   Acute appendicitis needs rapid treatment.

   The patient developed acute chest pain overnight.

   Acute symptoms can appear without warning.

3. 3adjectivenot comparablemathematics

   Of an angle, measuring less than ninety degrees.

   Grammar: Technical geometry sense; the opposite is obtuse, greater than ninety degrees.

   Patterns

   • acute angle
   • less than ninety degrees
   • acute triangle

   An acute angle is smaller than a right angle.

   The ramp forms an acute angle with the ground.

   Every angle in that acute triangle is under ninety degrees.

4. 4adjectivecomparableformal

   Keen and quick to notice or understand.

   Grammar: Often describes hearing, senses, minds, or awareness; can be graded: a more acute observer.

   Patterns

   • acute mind
   • acute hearing
   • acutely aware

   Dogs have acute hearing.

   An acute observer noticed the missing signature.

   The report shows an acute understanding of local fears.

Common combinations

acute pain

He was admitted with acute pain in his side.

acute shortage

The city has an acute shortage of affordable housing.

acute angle

Draw an acute angle smaller than a right angle.

acute awareness

She has an acute awareness of tone in meetings.

Synonyms and how they differ

severe

Very strong or serious; acute often adds suddenness, especially in medicine.

keen

Used for sharp senses or minds; severe fits problems better.

critical

Can mean extremely serious or crucial; acute is more about intensity or sudden onset.

Opposites

Word family

acutely adverb

In an intense or sharply perceptive way.

acuity noun

Sharpness of sense or thought.

Commonly confused: acute or chronic? acute or obtuse?

Practice

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Write a sentence using “acute”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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