ACUTELY Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

acutely

adverb

Definition of acutely

as in keenly

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of acutely The new record reveals a deep reverence for an acutely lyrical branch of Atlanta rap. — Narsimha Gour Chintaluri, Pitchfork, 21 Oct. 2026 According to Ruidoso firefighters, the effect was acutely felt during chaotic situations. — Abe Streep, ProPublica, 21 Oct. 2026 The latter perhaps most acutely reflected such dominant motifs in Gibson’s midcareer work as female figures, birds, and metaphysical reflectors. — The Editors Of Artnews, ARTnews.com, 20 Oct. 2026 Professionals are feeling it most acutely, and not because there’s a shortage of jobs. — Owen Humphries, Fortune, 16 Oct. 2026 Best known as a carcinogenic byproduct of cooking starchy food and burning tobacco, acrylamide can be acutely toxic in high doses. — Arkansas Online, 15 Oct. 2026 However, sharply rising diesel prices hit far more acutely and quickly in industries such as mining, quarrying and cement mixing, as well as other materials that are key in construction. — Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026 Richard Wagner characteristically decreed that the audience must suffer for his art, and spend sixteen hours listening to the Ring while seated on acutely uncomfortable wooden benches. — Geoffrey Wheatcroft, The New York Review of Books, 6 Oct. 2026 As a piece of theater, the dialogue between the two men often lands on the heart like a wry, platonic romance — and the moments in which both take a stand against the bigotry of some of Seastone’s callers are suddenly and acutely poignant. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for acutely

Adverb

Capturing the magic of young love where the connection between you seems to create your own special world, Givry’s film is keenly observed and a promising sign of hopefully more films to come.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 20 Oct. 2026
On set, Creed-Miles was also falling deeply in love—with storytelling—while also keenly being aware of the high stakes of adapting a beloved Austen classic.

— Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of keenly

Adverb

Many of the children's bodies were severely decomposed, with only 26 able to be identified, and investigations into the other deaths are ongoing.

— Jefferson Kahinju Reuters, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
At least one case of congenital measles led to a death; the first death reported in the current outbreak was in a newborn baby boy, who died immediately after birth while his mother was severely ill with measles.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of severely

Adverb

When carb intake falls sharply, the liver turns fat into ketones, an alternative fuel for the brain and other tissues that may cause less metabolic stress.

— Rowan Jacobsen, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
While agreeing that batteries play a key role in cutting emissions from transport and power generation, the study warns that emissions from producing them could rise sharply if manufacturing expands without cleaner processes.

— Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of sharply

Adverb

Fans can expect old songs that are poignantly relevant again 30-some years after they were written — songs that highlight ongoing concerns with equal rights, politics and progressivism.

— Courtney Devores, Charlotte Observer, 16 Oct. 2026
The play’s tension, gently but poignantly unspooled, develops from the fact that while Ryan has pursued a career onstage, Charlie never did.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of poignantly

Adverb

That decision by the president was praised by Putin but criticized harshly by members of Congress, including some Republicans.

— Jennifer Jacobs, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Stewart was an executive producer of his friend Colbert’s show and harshly criticized the cancellation, rejecting Paramount’s financial justification and accusing the company of bending the knee to the president.

— Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of harshly

Adverb

As money hijacks morality and democracy begins to look like a hoax, Tresnjak’s Broadway-caliber staging contrasts garish spectacle with piercingly intimate scenes between Claire and Anton.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Chef Steven Pham is still simmering his signature Northern Vietnamese-style pho ga, which features a soul-piercingly clear broth, tender poached chicken, rice noodles, and a floating raft of fresh herbs.

— Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026

Definition of piercingly

Adverb

The movie’s strongest sequences provide the all-too-rare sensation of truly not being able to believe your eyes, as the film’s most fantastical elements feel distressingly real.

— Tiffany Kelly, Entertainment Weekly, 17 July 2026
The event was halted after an hour due to fears about her safety, which distressingly encapsulates a tension that the trans Mayan artist has navigated for years.

— Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026

Definition of distressingly

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“Acutely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acutely. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of acutely

adverb

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