acute

adjective

ə-ˈkyüt

acuter; acutest

a(1)

: characterized by sharpness or severity of sudden onset

acute pain

(2)

: having a sudden onset, sharp rise, and short course

acute illness

(3)

: being, providing, or requiring short-term medical care (as for serious illness or traumatic injury)

acute hospitals

an acute patient

: lasting a short time

acute experiments

: ending in a sharp point: such as

: being or forming an angle measuring less than 90 degrees

an acute angle

: composed of acute angles

an acute triangle

of an accent mark : having the form ´

: marked with an acute accent

: of the variety indicated by an acute accent

: marked by keen discernment or intellectual perception especially of subtle distinctions

an acute thinker

: responsive to slight impressions or stimuli

acute hearing

: felt, perceived, or experienced intensely

acute distress

: demanding urgent attention

an acute emergency

acutely adverb

acuteness noun

Did you know?

Ways to Be Acute

For such a short and simple-looking word, acute has a rather bewildering range of meanings. It first entered the English language with a medical sense, referring to the sharpness or severity of a symptom. It retains this meaning today, but can also refer to the severity of more general matters, such as "acute embarrassment" or "an acute shortage."

Acute is also frequently used to describe less troublesome matters, such as keenness of perception ("an acute observer" or "an acute sense of smell"), a type of angle (one measuring less than 90 degrees), or the demand for urgent attention ("acute danger").

Example Sentences

an acute sense of humor It's a politically acute film that does not oversimplify the issues.

Recent Examples on the Web Two children have died from acute liver failure after being administered Zolgensma, a pricey gene therapy sold by Novartis to treat a rare disease, STAT reports.

Ed Silverman, STAT, 17 Aug. 2022 Complications from the disease can include respiratory failure, shock and acute kidney failure.

CBS News, 4 Aug. 2022 Daily Harvest recalled about 28,000 bags of the crumbles last month after customers complained of symptoms consistent with acute liver failure, including wrenching abdominal pain, nausea, fevers, jaundice and full-body itching.

Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2022 Three of those cases were investigated as suicides, and the cause of the death for the fourth was determined to be acute heart failure, according to reports from the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office.

Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 27 June 2022 Common painkillers such as aspirin and ibuprofen may have serious side effects, including gastrointestinal bleeding, and acetaminophen has been associated with acute liver failure.

Mariana Lenharo, Scientific American, 20 June 2022 One of the family members was hospitalized with acute liver failure resulting from a hepatitis A infection, according to the lawsuit, which states he was discharged one day later.

City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2022 He was taken to MetroHealth with acute kidney failure and was in a coma for about a week.

Adam Ferrise, cleveland, 6 June 2022 Three of the nine kids in the Alabama cohort ended up with acute liver failure, a life-threatening condition.

Katia Hetter, CNN, 9 May 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Latin acūtus "sharpened, pointed, having a violent onset, discerning, less than 90 degrees (of an angle)," from past participle of acuere "to sharpen, rouse, stimulate," probably derived from an otherwise unattested adjective stem acū- "sharp"; akin to acū-, acus "needle," a perhaps independently derived noun; further akin to Old Church Slavic osŭtŭ "thistle," Lithuanian ãšutas "hair of a horse's tail or mane"; all going back to the Indo-European base *h₂eḱ- "sharp" — more at edge entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Kids Definition

acute

adjective

ə-ˈkyüt

acuter; acutest

: measuring less than 90 degrees

acute angles

: marked by or showing an ability to understand things that are not obvious

an acute observation

: severe, sharp

acute pain

: developing quickly and lasting only a short time

acute illness

: critical sense 4, urgent

an acute shortage of food

: very strong and sensitive

an acute sense of smell

Medical Definition

acute

adjective

ə-ˈkyüt

: sensing or perceiving accurately, clearly, effectively, or sensitively

acute vision

: characterized by sharpness or severity of sudden onset

acute pain brought on by injury

an acute infection

b(1)

: having a sudden onset, sharp rise, and short course

acute illness

an acute inflammation

compare chronic entry 1 sense 2a

(2)

: acute care

an acute hospital

: lasting a short time

acute experiments

单词	acutely
释义	acute adjective ə-ˈkyüt acuter; acutest 1 a(1) : characterized by sharpness or severity of sudden onset acute pain (2) : having a sudden onset, sharp rise, and short course acute illness (3) : being, providing, or requiring short-term medical care (as for serious illness or traumatic injury) acute hospitals an acute patient b : lasting a short time acute experiments 2 : ending in a sharp point: such as a : being or forming an angle measuring less than 90 degrees an acute angle b : composed of acute angles an acute triangle 3 a of an accent mark : having the form ´ b : marked with an acute accent c : of the variety indicated by an acute accent 4 a : marked by keen discernment or intellectual perception especially of subtle distinctions an acute thinker b : responsive to slight impressions or stimuli acute hearing 5 : felt, perceived, or experienced intensely acute distress 6 : demanding urgent attention an acute emergency acutely adverb acuteness noun Did you know? Ways to Be Acute For such a short and simple-looking word, acute has a rather bewildering range of meanings. It first entered the English language with a medical sense, referring to the sharpness or severity of a symptom. It retains this meaning today, but can also refer to the severity of more general matters, such as "acute embarrassment" or "an acute shortage." Acute is also frequently used to describe less troublesome matters, such as keenness of perception ("an acute observer" or "an acute sense of smell"), a type of angle (one measuring less than 90 degrees), or the demand for urgent attention ("acute danger"). Synonyms delicate fine keen perceptive quick sensitive sharp See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences an acute sense of humor It's a politically acute film that does not oversimplify the issues. Recent Examples on the Web Two children have died from acute liver failure after being administered Zolgensma, a pricey gene therapy sold by Novartis to treat a rare disease, STAT reports. Ed Silverman, STAT, 17 Aug. 2022 Complications from the disease can include respiratory failure, shock and acute kidney failure. CBS News, 4 Aug. 2022 Daily Harvest recalled about 28,000 bags of the crumbles last month after customers complained of symptoms consistent with acute liver failure, including wrenching abdominal pain, nausea, fevers, jaundice and full-body itching. Los Angeles Times, 19 July 2022 Three of those cases were investigated as suicides, and the cause of the death for the fourth was determined to be acute heart failure, according to reports from the Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office. Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 27 June 2022 Common painkillers such as aspirin and ibuprofen may have serious side effects, including gastrointestinal bleeding, and acetaminophen has been associated with acute liver failure. Mariana Lenharo, Scientific American, 20 June 2022 One of the family members was hospitalized with acute liver failure resulting from a hepatitis A infection, according to the lawsuit, which states he was discharged one day later. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2022 He was taken to MetroHealth with acute kidney failure and was in a coma for about a week. Adam Ferrise, cleveland, 6 June 2022 Three of the nine kids in the Alabama cohort ended up with acute liver failure, a life-threatening condition. Katia Hetter, CNN, 9 May 2022 See More Word History Etymology Middle English, borrowed from Latin acūtus "sharpened, pointed, having a violent onset, discerning, less than 90 degrees (of an angle)," from past participle of acuere "to sharpen, rouse, stimulate," probably derived from an otherwise unattested adjective stem acū- "sharp"; akin to acū-, acus "needle," a perhaps independently derived noun; further akin to Old Church Slavic osŭtŭ "thistle," Lithuanian ãšutas "hair of a horse's tail or mane"; all going back to the Indo-European base h₂eḱ- "sharp" — more at edge entry 1 First Known Use 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1) Phrases Containing acute* acute flaccid myelitis acute mountain sickness post-acute COVID-19 syndrome acute respiratory distress syndrome severe acute respiratory syndrome post-acute COVID syndrome hyper-acute acute otitis media acute flaccid myelitis acute mountain sickness post-acute COVID-19 syndrome acute respiratory distress syndrome severe acute respiratory syndrome post-acute COVID syndrome hyper-acute acute otitis media See More Kids Definition acute adjective ə-ˈkyüt acuter; acutest 1 : measuring less than 90 degrees acute angles 2 : marked by or showing an ability to understand things that are not obvious an acute observation 3 : severe, sharp acute pain 4 : developing quickly and lasting only a short time acute illness 5 : critical sense 4, urgent an acute shortage of food 6 : very strong and sensitive an acute sense of smell Medical Definition acute adjective ə-ˈkyüt 1 : sensing or perceiving accurately, clearly, effectively, or sensitively acute vision 2 a : characterized by sharpness or severity of sudden onset acute pain brought on by injury an acute infection b(1) : having a sudden onset, sharp rise, and short course acute illness an acute inflammation compare chronic entry 1 sense 2a (2) : acute care an acute hospital c : lasting a short time acute experiments acutely adverb as in keenly Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance keenly severely sharply poignantly harshly piercingly distressingly miserably darkly dismally cruelly pessimistically dourly drearily distressfully somberly morosely ill blackly joylessly gloomily hurtfully glumly painfully sullenly forlornly grievously abjectly mirthlessly woefully despairingly agonizingly bitterly rancorously cheerlessly unhappily dispiritedly sadly sorely wretchedly sorrowfully regretfully lugubriously ruefully downheartedly despondently inconsolably mournfully resentfully dolefully disconsolately dolorously plaintively dejectedly low-spiritedly crestfallenly hardly hard wailfully Antonyms & Near Antonyms blissfully joyously joyfully happily cheerfully lightheartedly easily sunnily gladly casually delightedly mirthfully gleefully lightly dispassionately cheerily calmly indifferently well rejoicingly favorably merrily stoically blithely unconcernedly gaily nonchalantly gayly impassively good-naturedly blithesomely See More
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acute

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing acute

Kids Definition

adjective

Medical Definition

adjective

adverb