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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

Examples 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 Supporters say such facilities cut the risk of overdose and infection, reduce the costs of acute hospital admissions, and put users in touch with health care professionals who can offer drug addiction treatment. Stephen Castle, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025 Vegetation dieback in the Mississippi River Delta triggered by acute drought and chronic relative sea-level rise. Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025 Despite his success, the demands of Avicii’s career took a toll on his well-being: The hitmaker had a series of health problems over the years, including a bout with acute pancreatitis and surgery to have his gallbladder and appendix removed. Lynsey Eidell, People.com, 31 Dec. 2024 Patients had acute respiratory infections — think COVID, flu or rhinoviruses — complicated by malaria as well as widespread malnutrition. Gabrielle Emanuel, NPR, 31 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for acute 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acute
Adjective
  • That strategy should specify how the government, in coordination with state and local officials, will respond to incursions of unauthorized and unidentified drones near sensitive locations, like critical infrastructure.
    Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 6 Jan. 2025
  • Hackers can use your device to steal sensitive information, impersonate you, target your contacts, or turn the device into a bot.
    Alex Vakulov, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • His aversion to confrontation is outweighed by the urgent need for triage.
    Susan Morrison, The New Yorker, 13 Jan. 2025
  • On the other hand, rushing into a sale due to burnout or urgent needs may force you to settle for less.
    Anatoly Iofe, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Flames were pushed by intense wind gusts that officials had warned could fuel any spark into a fast-moving and erratic wildfire.
    Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 8 Jan. 2025
  • In 2021, a storm killed over 240 people and left millions of residents without power sparking intense backlash for ERCOT.
    Kevin Lynn, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • For more experienced adventurers, especially those keen on windsurfing and kiteboarding, Canadian Hole (also known as the Haulover Day Use Area) is the ticket.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 11 Jan. 2025
  • The drive to enthuse students (and anyone keen to learn) throughout the computer science industry is dominated by messaging designed to encourage people to gain certification and skills in software application development.
    Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes, 11 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Although Altman didn’t explicitly say why the company is losing money, running AI models is very cost intensive, requiring investments in data centers and electricity to provide the necessary computing power.
    Tharin Pillay, TIME, 8 Jan. 2025
  • At present, nitrogen fixation—the chemical process required to produce ammonia from nitrogen gas—is hugely energy intensive, accounting for as much as two percent of the world’s annual energy budget.
    Charina Chou, Foreign Affairs, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Angelenos are resilient, resourceful and quick to unify in times of disaster.
    Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Sign up for Dinner Tonight One quick and easy recipe in your inbox each night to answer that eternal question: What’s for dinner?
    Sam Sifton, New York Times, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Lyft’s challenges were compounded by fierce rivalry with Uber (NYSE: UBER) and the disruptive impact of the pandemic.
    Trefis Team, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025
  • Tariffs Don't Have to Make Economic Sense to Appeal to Trump Voters The debates over tariffs were fierce.
    Einav Rabinovitch-Fox / Made by History, TIME, 7 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The design cues of the hands, hour markers, and even lugs are Vacheron design at their best, with sharp, crisp lines.
    Blake Buettner, Robb Report, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Personality differences often come into sharp focus here.
    Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 10 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near acute

Cite this Entry

“Acute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acute. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on acute

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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