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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective acute contrast with its synonyms?

The words keen and sharp are common synonyms of acute. While all three words mean "having or showing alert competence and clear understanding," acute implies a power to penetrate and may suggest subtlety and sharpness of discrimination.

an acute sense of style

In what contexts can keen take the place of acute?

The synonyms keen and acute are sometimes interchangeable, but keen suggests quickness, enthusiasm, and a penetrating mind.

a keen observer of the political scene

When could sharp be used to replace acute?

While in some cases nearly identical to acute, sharp implies quick perception, clever resourcefulness, or sometimes questionable trickiness.

sharp enough to spot a confidence game

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of acute According to the National Assn. of Home Builders, scarcity and an acute, sustained rise in building material costs — for items as diverse as softwood lumber and electricity distribution transformers — are driving up the cost to construct homes and harming housing affordability. Roger Vincent, Los Angeles Times, 17 Apr. 2025 When she was first booked, that October, jail-intake officials recognized her acute mental-health needs right away. Sarah Stillman, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025 The first ablation did not cause any acute complications. Kurt Knutsson, Cyberguy Report, FOXNews.com, 11 Apr. 2025 Most studies list nausea and vomiting as symptoms, while others cite acute abdominal pain as well. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for acute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acute
Adjective
  • In late March, four Taiwanese soldiers, three of whom were part of a unit that provides security for Taiwan’s Presidential Office, were jailed for up to seven years after being convicted of selling pictures of sensitive information to China.
    Eryk Michael Smith, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Concerns have been raised about DOGE operatives, many with ties to Musk's companies, gaining access to sensitive government data without adequate oversight or experience.
    Hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This highlights the urgent need for tailored marketing support.
    Chris Gallagher, USA Today, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The net result is a flurry of headlines and viral social media posts followed by an urgent platform update.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The missions became more intense as Japan's outlook grew more dire and the military showcased the sacrifice of the pilots to drum up patriotism and support for the war.
    CBS News, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • Next, the authors report that repressive techniques are often effective in suppressing protest in the short run but tend to make resistance more intense in the long term.
    Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 10 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • In footage shared with Newsweek by Ring, the super smart pooch can be seen quite literally knocking on the door with his paw, evidently keen to be let back into the house.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Apr. 2025
  • Cricket administrators in Seattle had also been keen, despite not yet having built the requisite infrastructure for the Orcas, the city’s MLC side.
    Tristan Lavalette, Forbes.com, 16 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Since early March, Israel has cut Gaza off from the supply of humanitarian aid including food, with aid agencies warning that the situation for the strip’s 2 million civilians has deteriorated dangerously, only worsened by intensive Israeli military operations.
    Irene Nasser, CNN Money, 15 Apr. 2025
  • Now, more than six months after first complaining of stomach pain, Butlin started her first three-month course of intensive chemotherapy on April 8.
    Vanessa Etienne, People.com, 14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This mower features a quick start system and a side discharge for efficient grass management.
    Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Telegraphed data arrived in the morning, and FitzRoy made quick extrapolations from his knowledge of storm theories, sending forecasts an hour later.
    Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Battle of Okinawa lasted 82 days, with fierce fighting on land and sea.
    CBS News, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2025
  • The documentary follows the story of Ángel, a charismatic boy with fierce love for his Guarani roots and a vision for his Paraguayan hometown of Nanawa.
    Lise Pedersen, Variety, 11 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • As part of that effort, Democrats are hoping to exploit the sharp GOP divisions over the value of Medicaid and how deeply Republicans should cut its funding.
    Mike Lillis, The Hill, 14 Apr. 2025
  • Such a sharp rise in government bond yields over a period of weeks is relatively unusual.
    Simon Moore, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Acute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acute. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.

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