as in persistent
being such by habit and not likely to change
a chronic smoker who has quit—many, many times
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Recent Examples of chronic
This specific blend helps reduce oxidative stress and chronic low-grade inflammation, two primary culprits behind blood vessel damage.
—
Lauren Manaker, SELF, 2 Apr. 2026
Hydrocodone is a prescription opioid used to treat severe, chronic pain.
—Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
Human disease may be acute, chronic, malignant, or benign, and it is usually indicated by signs and symptoms such as fever or vomiting.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
For adults, chronic lead exposure is associated with kidney dysfunction, hypertension and neurocognitive effects.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chronic
Lauren Manaker, SELF, 2 Apr. 2026
Hydrocodone is a prescription opioid used to treat severe, chronic pain.
—Amanda Musa, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2026
Human disease may be acute, chronic, malignant, or benign, and it is usually indicated by signs and symptoms such as fever or vomiting.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 Apr. 2026
For adults, chronic lead exposure is associated with kidney dysfunction, hypertension and neurocognitive effects.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for chronic
Recent Examples of Synonyms for chronic
Adjective
-
Three more ski areas in Colorado are set to close up shop at the end of the week due to persistent warm weather and low snowpack.—
Christa Swanson,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
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The arm-side miss fell in line with a persistent spring-training pattern for Sasaki, who struggled with command from his first Cactus League start through his Freeway Series appearance last week.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Alleged serial killer Rex Heuermann is expected to plead guilty at an April 8 court appearance, and admit to killing women and dumping their bodies near Gilgo Beach along with other locations on Long Island, according to a source familiar with the case.—
Colin Mixson,
New York Daily News,
27 Mar. 2026
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Hole, Oleg and Martin Aminov (Simon J Berger), a petty gun smuggler mistakenly accused of being the serial killer, wind up in a stationary elevator stuck between two floors with an armed Waaler reaching in to grab Oleg’s hair.—
K.J. Yossman,
Variety,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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He was charged as a third-offense habitual offender.—
Joseph Buczek,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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As someone whose TikTok is algorithmically tuned to feed her Broadway interviews, curtain calls, and stage-door encounters, as well as a habitual lurker of the Just in Time Facebook group, Benjamin was familiar with the dance.—
Alexandra Starr,
Vulture,
27 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Even Dougie, an inveterate screwup, isn’t without hidden depths—and Anthony, a natural hype man for whoever’s around, takes his plea for emotional support seriously, quickly becoming invested in a twisty succession crisis.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Also, the industry essence of the French TV festival is co-production and Canadian producers are inveterate co-producers.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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With the national average for a gallon of regular gasoline topping a multiyear high of $4 a gallon, according to AAA, inflation-weary commuters are having a tough time absorbing the energy shock.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
1 Apr. 2026
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While an appearance in the NBA’s play-in tournament for the fourth straight season still seems likely, the Heat hopes to get back to that winning formula consistently in the final days of the regular season.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Due to increasing activity from the Anthelion sporadic meteor source (a broad region in the night sky that produces a steady, low-level stream of meteors year round) and maybe improved reporting, this amount reflects both a high total count and frequency.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
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Driving at a steady 55 mph can increase fuel economy by 6 to 8 mpg, the publication said in a report that offered tips to get the most out of a tank of gas.—
Matthew Daly,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Across the Rockies and beyond, many of our favorite mountains were haunted by unseasonably warm spikes and stubborn weather patterns that shut out snow for weeks on end.—
Kristen Geil,
Outside,
31 Mar. 2026
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For stubborn blockages, a plumber’s snake can help break things loose.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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That came today, following nine days of deliberation, when a jury in Los Angeles determined that both Meta and Google were guilty for allowing young users to become addicted and suffer mental health issues as a result.—
Victor Tangermann,
Futurism,
25 Mar. 2026
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If 4% of gamblers become addicted or have big problems with their gambling, then there are about 160,000 problem gamblers in Illinois, probably many more.—
Jim Nowlan,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Chronic.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/chronic. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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