acute

adjective

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\ ə-ˈkyüt

acuter; acutest

Definition of acute

1a(1) : characterized by sharpness or severity of sudden onset acute pain

(2) : having a sudden onset, sharp rise, and short course acute illness

(3) : being, providing, or requiring short-term medical care (as for serious illness 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

3a of an accent mark : having the form ´

b : marked with an acute accent

c : of the variety indicated by an acute accent

4a : 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

Other Words from acute Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Ways to Be Acute More Example Sentences Phrases Containing acute Learn More About acute

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

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").

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 But as the war drags on, the humanitarian needs in Ukraine have grown even more acute. — Vanessa Gera, ajc, 5 May 2022 Moreover, all cases of acute hepatitis are not the same. — Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 2 May 2022 None of the cases have been traced to a family of viruses known to cause acute hepatitis, but more than 75% have tested positive for adenovirus. — Bloomberg, Arkansas Online, 2 May 2022 None of the cases have been traced to a family of viruses known to cause acute hepatitis, but more than 75% have tested positive for adenovirus. — Bloomberg News, oregonlive, 30 Apr. 2022 The causal agent of these cases of acute hepatitis, or liver inflammation, in children, remains unknown. — Arielle Mitropoulos, ABC News, 28 Apr. 2022 The World Health Organization said Saturday that at least 169 cases of acute hepatitis in children have been identified in 11 countries, including 17 who needed liver transplants and one death. — Brenda Goodman, CNN, 27 Apr. 2022 In Hartford, teacher turnover has been especially acute. — Seamus Mcavoy, Hartford Courant, 27 Apr. 2022 The problem was even more acute than that, as the light-jet category in particular fell off. — J. George Gorant, Robb Report, 21 Apr. 2022 See More

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

History and Etymology for acute

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