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 But at least, in this instance, it comes fueled by feelings more acutely personal than mere individual glory. — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026 And survey data show the pressure of health care costs is acutely affecting workers who get coverage from their jobs. — Bob Herman, STAT, 29 Oct. 2026 The pain has been felt most acutely in the riskier credits with high-yield spreads rising about 70 basis points since late September. — Justin Zacks, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for acutely

Adverb

While all 11 sectors of the S&P 500 closed with losses, shares of companies tied to the AI build-out suffered keenly.

— Jenni Reid,Lee Ying Shan,Paulina Likos, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2026
Best of all is his biggest adversary, Sonny Liston, whose luckless early years spoil a tender soul Joseph keenly brings to light.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of keenly

Adverb

Hospitals in the north lack health workers, medicines and equipment, while ambulance services are severely limited and insecurity is obstructing medical deliveries, Tedros said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 2 Nov. 2026
Utley fractured the vertebrae in his neck and severely damaged his spinal cord.

— Armando Salguero OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of severely

Adverb

Many have staked out sharply different visions for Chicago Public Schools, its billion-dollar budget and 300,0000 students.

— Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 4 Nov. 2026
With buyback volume contracting sharply, this mechanical support for earnings per share wanes, requiring companies to rely on actual profit expansion to drive per share earnings higher.

— , CNBC, 4 Nov. 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

Her intentions were made clear in exchanges on social media with Bowden, who harshly criticized Honeycutt for crossing party lines, particularly for talking with Ocasio-Cortez.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 5 Nov. 2026
For gaining independence, it was harshly punished financially.

— Elisa Turner, Miami Herald, 29 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 8 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of acutely

adverb

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