Synonyms of acute

acute

adjective

ə-ˈkyüt 

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

• sensitive
• keen
• quick
• sharp
• delicate
• perceptive
• accurate
• fine
• subtle
• good
• precise
• piercing
• clear
• sensible
• discerning
• receptive
• hyperacute
• hypersensitive
• supersensitive
• oversensitive
• hair-trigger

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• dull
• bad
• dulled
• fading
• insensitive
• dead
• insensible
• numb
• deadened
• dimmed
• inaccurate
• imperceptive
• imprecise

2

as in urgent

needing immediate attention

famine caused by an acute shortage of grain

Synonyms & Similar Words

• urgent
• intense
• emergent
• dire
• pressing
• critical
• compelling
• crying
• serious
• exigent
• imperative
• desperate
• immediate
• instant
• extreme
• imperious
• importunate
• burning
• severe
• clamant
• necessitous
• insistent
• overriding
• crucial
• dangerous
• hazardous
• life-and-death
• demanding
• precarious
• perilous
• explosive
• unstable
• grave
• vital

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• minor
• incidental
• negligible
• trivial
• unimportant
• noncritical
• nonurgent
• low-pressure
• stable
• safe
• nonthreatening

3

as in intense

extreme in degree, power, or effect

experiencing acute distress over the misunderstanding with her best friend

Synonyms & Similar Words

• intense
• intensive
• fierce
• ferocious
• deep
• terrible
• profound
• heavy
• furious
• violent
• explosive
• vicious
• fearful
• exquisite
• dreadful
• excruciating
• blistering
• vehement
• frightful
• ghastly
• fearsome
• keen
• heavy-duty
• intensified
• aggravated
• severe
• hard
• heightened
• hellacious
• almighty
• harsh
• concentrated
• enhanced
• magnified
• stressed
• deepened
• accentuated
• exhaustive
• thorough
• rigorous
• emphasized

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• moderate
• light
• weak
• soft
• feeble
• superficial
• shallow
• qualified
• decreased
• eased
• diminished
• toned (down)
• reduced
• moderated
• subdued
• alleviated
• lessened
• lightened
• abated

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective acute contrast with its synonyms?

The words keen and sharp are common synonyms of acute. While all three words mean "having or showing alert competence and clear understanding," acute implies a power to penetrate and may suggest subtlety and sharpness of discrimination.

an acute sense of style

In what contexts can keen take the place of acute?

The synonyms keen and acute are sometimes interchangeable, but keen suggests quickness, enthusiasm, and a penetrating mind.

a keen observer of the political scene

When could sharp be used to replace acute?

While in some cases nearly identical to acute, sharp implies quick perception, clever resourcefulness, or sometimes questionable trickiness.

sharp enough to spot a confidence game

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of acute

As supply shortages become more acute, demand by definition will have to decline. —Rob Wile, NBC news, 14 Apr. 2026

While an Anthropic spokesperson has said publicly that the AI lab does not degrade its models to better serve demand, there are reasons to believe the company is facing more acute constraints than some rivals. —Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 14 Apr. 2026

Yet these challenges are especially acute in America. —Idrees Kahloon, The Atlantic, 13 Apr. 2026

This limitation is becoming especially acute as the industry explores sub-5-nanometer nodes in two-dimensional semiconductor systems, where material balance is critical for reliable device operation. —Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 12 Apr. 2026