Meaning & use
chronic
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivebefore a nounmedical
Lasting a long time or often coming back, used for illnesses.
Grammar: Before a noun: chronic pain.
Patterns
- chronic condition
He has chronic back pain.
Asthma is a chronic condition.
She suffers from chronic fatigue.
adjectivebefore a noun
Continuing for a long time and hard to solve, used for problems.
Grammar: Before a noun.
Patterns
- chronic shortage
The city has a chronic housing shortage.
They suffer from chronic unemployment.
adjectivebefore a noundisapproving
Having a bad habit that never stops.
Grammar: Often disapproving.
Patterns
- chronic liar
He is a chronic complainer.
A chronic latecomer.
Common combinations
- chronic pain
- Chronic pain.
- chronic illness
- Chronic illness.
- chronic shortage
- Chronic shortage.
- chronic condition
- Chronic condition.
- chronically
- Chronically late.
Synonyms and how they differ
- persistent
- General.
- long-term
- Plain.
- habitual
- Habits.
Opposites
Word family
- chronically adverb
- over a long time
- chronicity noun
- state of being chronic
Commonly confused: chronic or acute?
chronic vs acute
Acute means sudden and severe.
Practice
Chronic differs from acute in that chronic conditions:
Choose one answer.
Chronic means long-lasting.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “chronic”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.