acute

adjective

ə-ˈkyüt 

acuter; acutest

1

a(1)

: characterized by sharpness or severity of sudden onset

acute pain

(2)

: of rapid onset and relatively short duration

acute illness

see also acute disease

(3)

: being, providing, or requiring short-term medical care (as for acute disease or traumatic injury)

acute hospitals

an acute patient

b

: lasting a short time

acute experiments

2

: ending in a sharp point: such as

a

: being or forming an angle measuring less than 90 degrees

an acute angle

b

: composed of acute angles

an acute triangle

3

a

of an accent mark : having the form ´

b

: marked with an acute accent

c

: of the variety indicated by an acute accent

4

a

: marked by keen discernment or intellectual perception especially of subtle distinctions

an acute thinker

b

: responsive to slight impressions or stimuli

acute hearing

5

: felt, perceived, or experienced intensely

acute distress

6

: demanding urgent attention

an acute emergency

acutely adverb

acuteness noun

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Ways to Be Acute

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. It retains this meaning today, but can also refer to the severity of more general matters, such as "acute embarrassment" or "an acute shortage."

Acute is also frequently used to describe less troublesome matters, such as keenness of perception ("an acute observer" or "an acute sense of smell"), a type of angle (one measuring less than 90 degrees), or the demand for urgent attention ("acute danger").

Synonyms

• sensitive
• keen
• quick
• sharp

Choose the Right Synonym for acute

acute, critical, crucial mean of uncertain outcome.

acute stresses intensification of conditions leading to a culmination or breaking point.

an acute housing shortage

critical adds to acute implications of imminent change, of attendant suspense, and of decisiveness in the outcome.

the war has entered a critical phase

crucial suggests a dividing of the ways and often a test or trial involving the determination of a future course or direction.

a crucial vote

synonyms see in addition sharp

Examples of acute in a Sentence

an acute sense of humor

It's a politically acute film that does not oversimplify the issues.

Recent Examples on the Web

Since then, more than 57,000 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, according to Reuters, and millions are suffering from acute malnutrition, starvation and illness. —Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 12 July 2025

The number of children admitted for severe acute malnutrition (SAM), the most deadly form of malnutrition, rose by 50 percent from April to May. —Sarah Ferguson, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025

Such risks are particularly acute for recreational paddlers, boaters, and families, as people may misjudge the risk due to the pleasant atmosphere above water. —Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 July 2025

Advertisement The challenge is particularly acute for first-generation students or those from lower-income households, who are much less likely to know about high-quality postsecondary options than those whose parents went to college. —Maria Flynn, Time, 11 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Latin acūtus "sharpened, pointed, having a violent onset, discerning, less than 90 degrees (of an angle)," from past participle of acuere "to sharpen, rouse, stimulate," probably derived from an otherwise unattested adjective stem acū- "sharp"; akin to acū-, acus "needle," a perhaps independently derived noun; further akin to Old Church Slavic osŭtŭ "thistle," Lithuanian ãšutas "hair of a horse's tail or mane"; all going back to the Indo-European base *h₂eḱ- "sharp" — more at edge entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Phrases Containing acute

• acute disease
• acute flaccid myelitis
• acute mountain sickness
• acute otitis media
• acute respiratory distress syndrome
• hyper-acute
• post-acute COVID syndrome
• severe acute respiratory syndrome

Rhymes for acute

• aleut
• astute
• beetroot
• breadfruit
• cheroot
• commute
• compute
• confute
• dilute
• dispute
• elute
• grapefruit

Kids Definition

acute

adjective

ə-ˈkyüt 

acuter; acutest

1

a

: severe sense 3, sharp

acute pain

b

: having a sudden onset and short duration

acute disease

2

: being or forming an angle measuring less than 90 degrees

an acute angle

3

a

: marked by keen awareness : shrewd

an acute observation

b

: having sharp perceptions : observant

4

: needing speedy attention : urgent

an acute shortage of blood plasma

5

: felt or experienced intensely

acute distress

acutely adverb

acuteness noun

Medical Definition

acute

adjective

ə-ˈkyüt 

1

: sensing or perceiving accurately, clearly, effectively, or sensitively

acute vision

2

a

: characterized by sharpness or severity of sudden onset

acute pain brought on by injury

an acute infection

b(1)

: of rapid onset and relatively short duration

acute illness

an acute inflammation

see also acute disease compare chronic entry 1 sense 2a

(2)

: being, providing, or requiring short-term medical care (as for an acute disease or traumatic injury) : acute care

an acute hospital

acute patients

c

: lasting a short time

Most studies of the efficacy and safety of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for the treatment of children and adolescents with major depression or anxiety disorders are acute studies, generally ranging in length from eight to 12 weeks.

—Karen Dineen Wagner, Psychiatric Times

acutely adverb

Since the patient's ocular symptoms had acutely worsened, he underwent immediate surgery …

—Jae Yong Lee, The New England Journal of Medicine

acuteness noun

A triage nurse determines the acuteness of the patient's problem and coordinates the order for treatment, providing immediate care to critically ill or injured patients and efficient care to those less seriously ill.

—Ridgecrest Regional Hospital