Definition

1. Adjective:

   • Extremely sharp or intense: Used to describe pain, sensations, or feelings that are very severe and sudden.
   • Having or demonstrating a keen ability to perceive or distinguish: Describes a person, mind, or observation that is very perceptive, insightful, and sharp.
   • Of critical importance and consequence: Describes a situation, shortage, or problem that is severe and urgent.
   • Ending in a sharp point: Describes a physical shape that comes to a sharp end.
   • Of an angle; less than 90 degrees: A geometric term for an angle smaller than a right angle.
   • Having a rapid onset and short but severe course: A medical term describing a disease or condition that appears suddenly and is intense but often short-lived.
   • High-pitched; shrill: Describes a sound, especially a voice, that is high and sharp in tone.

2. Noun:

   • A mark (') placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation: In linguistics, a diacritical mark used in some languages to denote a specific sound quality or stress.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:

  • The patient was suffering from acute pain in his side. (Describing severe, sharp pain.)
  • She has an acute understanding of international markets. (Describing a sharp, perceptive mind.)
  • The hospital is facing an acute shortage of nurses. (Describing a severe and urgent problem.)
  • Be careful with the acute tip of the needle. (Describing a sharp point.)
  • An acute angle measures less than 90 degrees. (Describing a type of angle.)
  • He was diagnosed with acute bronchitis. (Describing a sudden, severe illness.)
  • The child's acute scream made everyone turn around. (Describing a high-pitched sound.)

• Noun:

  • In French, the letter 'é' has an acute accent. (Referring to the diacritical mark.)

Advanced Usage

• "Acute care": A branch of secondary health care where a patient receives active but short-term treatment for a severe injury or episode of illness.

  • After the accident, he was moved to the acute care unit.

• "Acute awareness": A state of being highly and sensitively conscious of something.

  • The hiker had an acute awareness of the changing weather conditions.

Variants and Related Words

• Acutely (adverb): In an acute manner; intensely or sharply.

  • She was acutely aware of being watched.

• Acuteness (noun): The quality of being acute.

  • The acuteness of his hearing was remarkable.

Synonyms

• Adjective: Sharp, intense, severe, keen, perceptive, critical, piercing, shrewd.
• Noun: Accent, diacritic, diacritical mark.

Antonyms

• Adjective: Dull, mild, chronic (in medical contexts), obtuse (for angles), low-pitched (for sound).

Related Phrases

• Acute stress: Intense psychological stress following a traumatic event.

  • The soldiers experienced acute stress after the battle.

• Acute phase: The initial, most severe stage of an illness or reaction.

  • The medication is most effective during the acute phase of the infection.

Adjective

1. of critical importance and consequence
   • an acute (or critical) lack of research funds
2. ending in a sharp point
3. of an angle; less than 90 degrees
4. 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
5. extremely sharp or intense
   • acute pain
   • felt acute annoyance
   • intense itching and burning
6. having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course
   • acute appendicitis
   • the acute phase of the illness
   • acute patients

Noun

1. a mark (') placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation