Meaning & Definition of Acute in English
English⟶
Acute
/əkjut/
noun
1. A mark (') placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation
synonym:
- acute accent,
- acute,
- ague
adjective
1. Having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course
- "Acute appendicitis"
- "The acute phase of the illness"
- "Acute patients"
synonym:
- acute
2. Extremely sharp or intense
- "Acute pain"
- "Felt acute annoyance"
- "Intense itching and burning"
synonym:
- acute,
- intense
3. Having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions
- "An acute observer of politics and politicians"
- "Incisive comments"
- "Icy knifelike reasoning"
- "As sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang"
- "Penetrating insight"
- "Frequent penetrative observations"
synonym:
- acute,
- discriminating,
- incisive,
- keen,
- knifelike,
- penetrating,
- penetrative,
- piercing,
- sharp
4. Of an angle
- Less than 90 degrees
synonym:
- acute
5. Ending in a sharp point
synonym:
- acuate,
- acute,
- sharp,
- needlelike
6. Of critical importance and consequence
- "An acute (or critical) lack of research funds"
synonym:
- acute
Examples of using
After experiencing several acute psychotic episodes, Mary was admitted to a mental institution.
Her acute observation skills make her a very suitable photographer.
He felt an acute pain in his chest.