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acute

Sayuh-KYOOT/əˈkjut/UK/əˈkjuːt/

Noun pluralacutes

15 meanings of acute

Practice

  1. 1
    adjective
    Of an illness, starting suddenly and lasting a short time, not going on for a long time.

    Like a storm that suddenly appears, not clouds that slowly build for weeks.

    The doctor said his illness was acute and had started just days ago.

    An acute infection can appear within hours of contact.

    UsageTo doctors, acute means sudden, not very bad. The opposite is chronic.

    Oppositechronic

    Note
  2. 2
    intenseadjective
    Very strong or sharp, like a feeling or a sense.

    Like turning a feeling all the way up, so it hits you strongly.

    She felt an acute pain in her side after the fall.

    Dogs have an acute sense of smell.

    UsageSay an acute sense of smell or acute pain.

    Similarkeen, sharp, strong, powerful

    Oppositedull, obtuse

    Note
  3. 3
    urgent problemadjective
    Needing action very soon because it is serious.

    Like an alarm going off that you cannot ignore.

    There is an acute need for clean water in the area.

    The town faces an acute shortage of housing.

    UsageSay an acute shortage or an acute need.

    Similarpressing, urgent, sudden

  4. 4
    briefadjective
    Lasting only a short time, quick and brief.

    The study looked at acute exposure to the gas, just a few minutes at a time.

    The test measured the effects of acute exposure to loud noise.

    Similarrapid

    Oppositeslow, leisurely

    Note
  5. 5
    adjective
    An acute angle is smaller than a right angle. An acute triangle has only angles like that.

    Like the narrow, pointed end of a pizza slice.

    The roof makes an acute angle where the two sides meet.

    A thin slice of pizza often has an acute tip.

    Oppositeobtuse

    Note
  6. 6
    pointed (leaf)adjective
    Describes a leaf or part whose sides meet to make a sharp, narrow point.

    Like the pointed end of a teardrop.

    The leaf has an acute tip that ends in a sharp point.

    Many willow leaves are acute at both ends.

    Similarpointed

    Oppositeobtuse

    Note
  7. 7
    accent marknouncountable
    A small mark (´) written above a letter, like the one in 'café'.

    Like a tiny slash leaning to the right above a letter.

    The word 'café' is written with an acute over the e.

    She forgot to add the acute when typing the name.

    UsageSay an acute over the e.

    Oppositegrave

    Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of acute apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

From Latin acutus, meaning 'sharp' or 'sharpened', from a root meaning 'needle'. It came into English through Late Middle English, first used of diseases that start suddenly and last a short time.

Checked 31 Oct 2026 · 3 facts