For such a short and simple-looking word, acute has a rather bewildering range of meanings. It first entered the English language with a medical sense, referring to the sharpness or severity of a symptom.

ACUTE definition: 1. If a bad situation is acute, it causes severe problems or damage: 2. An acute pain or illness…. Learn more.

ACUTE definition: sharp or severe in effect; intense. See examples of acute used in a sentence.

1. sharp or severe in effect; intense: acute pain. 2. extremely great or serious: an acute shortage of oil. 3. (of disease) brief and severe (disting. from chronic). 4. penetrating in intellect, insight, or …

An acute illness is one that becomes severe very quickly but does not last very long. Compare chronic.

Acute, penetrating, shrewd imply a keenness of understanding, perception, or insight.

Oct 17, 2024 · Acute means sudden. Acute symptoms appear, change, or worsen rapidly. It is the opposite of chronic.

acute meaning, definition, what is acute: an acute problem is very serious: Learn more.

Reacting readily to stimuli or impressions; sensitive: His hearing was unusually acute. b. Keenly perceptive or discerning: an acute critic of music; a critic with acute judgment. See Synonyms at …

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, …