acuity

noun acu·i·ty \ ə-ˈkyü-ə-tē , a- \

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

Definition of acuity

plural acuities

: keenness of perception

hearing acuity

mental acuity

See acuity defined for English-language learners

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Examples of acuity in a Sentence

a worrisome deterioration in the acuity of his hearing over the years

Recent Examples of acuity from the Web

The former propels too quickly through powerful issues, while the latter treats them with the acuity of a college freshman: eagerly and immodestly, if sometimes too naively.

— jason parham, WIRED, "The Fall of the TV Family in Trump's America," 28 Mar. 2018
Their mental acuity and physical conditions range from quick conversations and independent mobility to those in wheelchairs and one who forgot about Monday’s party less than a half-hour after the celebration ended.

— cindy george, Houston Chronicle, "Centenarians celebrate a century of sunrises at Houston’s Clarewood House," 28 Mar. 2018
Watchman would similarly detect such cosmic explosions, but with improved acuity.

— kenneth chang, New York Times, "How to Spot a Nuclear Bomb Program? Look for Ghostly Particles," 27 Mar. 2018
But conclusions about Trump’s mental acuity were not expected.

— Time, "President Trump Gets 'Excellent Health' Report From White House Doctor," 13 Jan. 2018
Advances in health are making accomplishments that require mental acuity and physical endurance commonplace among older people.

— paul irving, WSJ, "Churchill Wasn’t ‘Over the Hill’ in 1940," 4 Mar. 2018
In conversation Glanville exudes the low-key acuity that has graced his post-baseball career.

— rand richards cooper, courant.com, "In Our Midst: Baseball Star Doug Glanville's Garage Of Dreams," 2 Mar. 2018
In the days since his comment broke, the various senators in the room exhibit different aural acuity according to their party lines.

— kaitlin menza, Esquire, "On the Eve of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Trump Proclaims He's Not a Racist," 15 Jan. 2018
The network will connect patients and providers to deliver telemedicine programs from low-acuity ailments to electronic intensive care units, telestroke care, rare genetic diseases, transplant care and pediatric specialties.

— anna beahm, AL.com, "Sen. Doug Jones announces $1.1 million in distance learning and telemedicine grants for Alabama," 19 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'acuity.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Do you have acuity or sensitivity?

Acuity is nearly synonymous with at least one sense of sensitivity, yet, as is so often the case with closely-related words, there are subtle differences worth observing before you substitute one of these words for the other. Acuity does refer to a form of sensitivity, but it is most often applied to the perceptual senses (as in “visual acuity” or “auditory acuity”). It is also frequently used in reference to the intellect (as in “mental acuity”). Sensitivity has a broader range of meanings than acuity does, including “the capacity of being easily hurt.” It may be used of inanimate objects such as radios (“the sensitivity of the instruments was carefully calibrated”), a context in which acuity is unusual.

Origin and Etymology of acuity

Middle English acuite "sharpness, acridity," borrowed from Middle French acuité, borrowed from Medieval Latin acuitāt-, acuitās, from Latin acu-, stem of acuere "to sharpen" + -itāt-, -itās -ity — more at acute

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: circa 1549

See Words from the same year