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, …

ACUTE definition: 1. If a bad situation is acute, it causes severe problems or damage: 2. An acute pain or illness…. Learn more.

ACUTE definition: sharp or severe in effect; intense. See examples of acute used in a sentence.

1. sharp or severe in effect; intense: acute pain. 2. extremely great or serious: an acute shortage of oil. 3. (of disease) brief and severe (disting. from chronic). 4. penetrating in intellect, insight, or …

Definition of acute adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.

An acute illness is one that becomes severe very quickly but does not last very long. Compare chronic.

Acute, penetrating, shrewd imply a keenness of understanding, perception, or insight. Acute suggests particularly a clearness of perception and a realization of related meanings: an acute intellect.

Oct 17, 2024 · Acute means sudden. Acute symptoms appear, change, or worsen rapidly. It is the opposite of chronic.

Use the adjective acute for when you want to describe something as sharp or extremely serious. The word acute is one word; it's not two words, nor does it have anything to do with something small, …

Nov 9, 2025 · Learn about the differences between acute pain, chronic pain, and subacute pain. Uncover symptoms, causes, and appropriate treatments.