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- pronunciation:
kyut
- features:
- Word Combinations (adjective), Word Parts
| part of speech: |
adjective |
| definition 1: |
of great severity or intensity.
The patient is experiencing acute pain in the abdomen.When the hunger pangs became acute, she allowed herself to eat a little.- synonyms:
- intense, severe
- antonyms:
- mild
- similar words:
- extreme, fierce, profound
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| definition 2: |
keen; sharp; sensitive.
A horse has an acute sense of hearing.She has an acute sensitivity to the feelings of others.- synonyms:
- discriminating, keen, penetrating, perspicacious, sensitive, sharp
- antonyms:
- dull
- similar words:
- astute, discerning, incisive, mordant, perceptive, pointed, pungent
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| definition 3: |
very critical; crucial.
There was an acute shortage of medical supplies at the field hospital.- synonyms:
- critical
- antonyms:
- negligible
- similar words:
- crucial, desperate, drastic, extreme, pressing, serious, severe, urgent
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| definition 4: |
of a disease, occurring suddenly, then rapidly progressing to a peak and coming shortly to an end. (Cf. chronic.)
Acute rheumatic fever can cause damage to the valves of the heart.Typhoid fever is an acute disease.- antonyms:
- chronic
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| definition 5: |
in geometry, of less than ninety degrees.
an acute angle- antonyms:
- obtuse
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| definition 6: |
sharp or pointed at the end.
- synonyms:
- acuminate, pointed
- antonyms:
- blunt, obtuse
- similar words:
- barbed, cuspidate, keen, peaked, sharp
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| definition 7: |
of a mark over vowels, indicating a certain stress or pronunciation. (See acute accent.)
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| related words: |
apt, bad, biting, calculating, clever, exquisite, fine, keen, penetrating, quick-witted, shrewd, sore, trenchant |
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| derivations: |
acutely (adv.), acuteness (n.) |
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