1
as in sensitive
able to sense slight impressions or differences
dogs, with their acute sense of smell, are used for finding toxic substances undetectable by humans
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in urgent
needing immediate attention
famine caused by an acute shortage of grain
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in intense
extreme in degree, power, or effect
experiencing acute distress over the misunderstanding with her best friend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of acute
View gallery - 3 images Because of industrial climate chaos, catastrophic economic inequality, war and displacement, there is, as the United Nations puts it succinctly, a global food crisis in 68 countries, with 318 million people facing acute hunger.
—
New Atlas, 10 Jan. 2026
Yes, The Pitt says, offering up a child with not just spots all over his body but also acute inflammation in his brain and spinal cord.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
In the past, travelers were left to scour the internet for lookalikes upon returning home, but this new breed of shoppable stays makes the dread of departure a little less acute, offering guests the chance to take those beloved details home with them.
—Stephanie Gavan, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2026
His ability to separate from defenders becomes especially acute and effective in the tighter space near the goal line.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for acute
New Atlas, 10 Jan. 2026
Yes, The Pitt says, offering up a child with not just spots all over his body but also acute inflammation in his brain and spinal cord.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 10 Jan. 2026
In the past, travelers were left to scour the internet for lookalikes upon returning home, but this new breed of shoppable stays makes the dread of departure a little less acute, offering guests the chance to take those beloved details home with them.
—Stephanie Gavan, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2026
His ability to separate from defenders becomes especially acute and effective in the tighter space near the goal line.
—Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for acute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acute
Adjective
-
The commission said the report overlooks other time-sensitive cases that don't require intake appointments.—
Tim McNicholas,
CBS News,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Cold conditions may damage or kill sensitive crops, plants, and vegetation if appropriate precautions are not taken.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
And there is another urgent area requiring our attention.—
Sacramento Bee staff,
Sacbee.com,
8 Jan. 2026
-
The administration’s enthusiasm to improve America’s health has real, urgent promise.—
Jerome Adams,
Fortune,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Fan Kelly Terzis described her feelings as intense sadness and grief, but also gratitude.—
Amanda Hari,
CBS News,
11 Jan. 2026
-
The study made a significant contribution, if not clarification, to this academic niche — medieval migration wasn’t seasonal, nor sporadic and intense.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Gates was keen to highlight that society needs to do more to ready itself for an AI era, and that work so far hasn’t been adequate.—
Eleanor Pringle,
Fortune,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Our daughter learnt how to draw comic strips with an Athenian cartoon artist and was keen to try the photography course and stargazing.—
Jemima Sissons,
Condé Nast Traveler,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Bringing that experience to the screen required intensive work with the film’s young leads, Ishaan Khatter and Vishal Jethwa.—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
12 Jan. 2026
-
When Indiana decided to build a water-intensive tech park in Lebanon — a city unable to provide the resource itself — the question of how the area would get water was inevitable.—
Sophie Hartley,
IndyStar,
12 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
As Beck spoke on the crowded field afterward, Cristobal swept past and stopped for quick bear hug.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Most people drive up a Forest Service Road for quicker access, putting them at the beginning of a two-mile out-and-back trail with roughly 2,500 feet of elevation gain.—
Outside,
Outside,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Competition remains fierce in the Charlotte region to grab a piece of the lucrative grocery market share.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Jan. 2026
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But long before the fire destroyed a broad section of the San Gabriel Valley community, a small but fierce army of people devoted themselves to others who were without a home.—
James Rainey,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The numbers mark a sharp reversal from a spike in violence during the worst years of the COVID-19 pandemic.—
Shomik Mukherjee,
Mercury News,
8 Jan. 2026
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The blazer of Middleton’s look included sharp shoulders with sinuous lapels and angular pockets at the waist.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
8 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Acute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acute. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
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