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 Children suffering from a condition known as wasting are acutely malnourished, become very thin for their height, and need immediate therapeutic feeding. — ABC News, 4 Aug. 2026 Sabanto was founded by Craig Rupp who grew up on a farm in Iowa and was acutely aware of labor shortages. — Gene Marks, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 The district has felt the strain more acutely in recent years after billions in federal pandemic relief dollars ran dry. — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 1 Aug. 2026 Pre-workout supplements increase energy and athletic performance acutely, while collagen strengthens connective tissue and helps prevent injury over time. — Megan Nunn, Verywell Health, 29 July 2026 Trump is acutely aware of the political pressures Netanyahu faces ahead of Israel’s national election in October, according to officials, and knows his support for the prime minister could be critical. — Kevin Liptak, CNN Money, 28 July 2026 Emery’s inclination for wide forwards is well known, but acutely demonstrated in Garnacho’s case. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 22 July 2026 Houston's autopsy found she was acutely intoxicated with cocaine at the time of her death and showed evidence of chronic cocaine use. — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 17 July 2026 On May 26, the New York Mets were doing terrible (generally) and really terrible (acutely). — Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 17 July 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for acutely

Adverb

Investors and startup CEOs are keenly studying the variations in how much an African tech startup can hope to raise as a signal for assessing the ecosystem’s health.

— Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 5 Aug. 2026
Plants and animals keenly sense the diminishing light, which acts as a master biological clock that triggers changes such as migration, shifting hormone levels and winter coat growth.

— Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of keenly

Adverb

Silica particles cause lungs to fight back with fibrotic tissue that builds and builds, severely inhibiting the ability to breathe.

— Howard Berkes, NPR, 5 Aug. 2026
This kind of telescope is ideal for solar work, being a good size aperture to reveal fine detail, but not so large as to be severely affected by daytime atmospheric turbulence.

— Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026

Definition of severely

Adverb

As the gunfire was heard, the drone appeared to veer sharply before diving toward the beach.

— Bonny Chu, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2026
Polling shows that many younger voters, especially independents, progressive Democrats and some Republicans, have turned sharply against Israel in recent years amid widespread debate over Israel’s prosecution of the war in Gaza.

— Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of sharply

Adverb

Our range includes a meandering cowboy odyssey that sprawls from a nowhere town in Texas to Big Sky country, a poignantly observant memoir from a wild child Dreamlander, and a careful dissection of a situationship set to the rhythms of 1970s Brazil.

— Kat Chen, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Aug. 2026
The reunion, poignantly, took place at Charles’s country home, Highgrove House, where Harry spent much of his childhood.

— Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 16 July 2026

Definition of poignantly

Adverb

And then, the organization's chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, harshly came out against the plan, releasing a statement to the Associated Press, saying FIFA's staff had been blindsided by it.

— Rafael Nam, NPR, 31 July 2026
Like other senior bankers, Sehnaoui was harshly criticized following Lebanon's historic economic meltdown in 2019, when most people lost access to their money.

— ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026

Definition of harshly

Adverb

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
The Towode Door Stop Alarm is a budget-friendly, highly effective safety tool that functions as a wedge door stop and a piercingly loud alarm when activated.

— Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 31 May 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 9 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of acutely

adverb

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