ACUTE Synonyms: 136 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

acute

adjective

ə-ˈkyüt

Definition of acute

as in sensitive

able to sense slight impressions or differences dogs, with their acute sense of smell, are used for finding toxic substances undetectable by humans

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in urgent

needing immediate attention famine caused by an acute shortage of grain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in intense

extreme in degree, power, or effect experiencing acute distress over the misunderstanding with her best friend

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 The study, led by researchers at Boston’s Mass General Brigham health system, showed the drug, which is used to treat acute Covid-19 symptoms, did not work better than a placebo when given to people with long Covid. — Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026 Students will also study mines and explosive hazards, first aid for combat injuries, chemical and radiation exposure and acute stress, as well as survival training and procedures for operating in conflict zones. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 Since his father was a British navy chaplain, his family moved regularly, and with that came an acute sense of place. — Irene Borger, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026 Their partnership also sharpened her already acute sense of humor. — Shima Oliaee, Time, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acute

Recent Examples of Synonyms for acute

Adjective

Government debt makes up more than 200% of its gross domestic product, leaving its finances highly sensitive to rising borrowing costs.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
In addition to pressure, the team demonstrated that the same basic glass platform could also be made sensitive to temperature.

— Pawel Maniewski, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of sensitive

Adjective

This is becoming more urgent, Azam says, as these disasters become more frequent, but experts lack data to better identify the areas that are most at risk of future disasters like this.

— Diaa Hadid, NPR, 27 Aug. 2026
Amol Rajan, the BBC Radio 4 Today show presenter, has called for urgent action to save the UK national broadcaster from an existential emergency.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of urgent

Adjective

Motion Applied brings experience from motorsport, where power electronics face rapid load changes and intense operating conditions.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
As if this weren’t enough for one day, Venus will also make its debut in the secretive and smoldering sign of Scorpio, where the love planet trades light-hearted flirtation for something deeper and way more intense.

— Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of intense

Adjective

Star Arnold Schwarzenegger was keen to do a sequel, but Cameron was busy with other projects, including Aliens in 1986 (another killer sequel).

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 28 Aug. 2026
Some keen advice from an industry survivor like Paltrow on how to laugh off the haters could come in handy.

— Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of keen

Adjective

Saylor Hayes, 5, who was the subject of an intensive search involving hundreds of people and multiple agencies, was found in South Carolina on Sunday.

— Matt Lavietes, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026
Authorities point to the Golden State’s intensive regulatory environment as a factor.

— Joel Mathis, TheWeek, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of intensive

Adjective

Casemiro and Messi, fierce rivals when Casemiro was at Real Madrid and Messi at Barcelona, celebrated together, a rare sight for longtime La Liga fans.

— Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 30 Aug. 2026
Pearce was celebrating five years of Opry membership and would return later to channel many aspects of Dolly, from her humor and fierce independence to her Appalachian roots.

— Chris Parton, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of fierce

Adjective

These critters may look cute and cuddly, but their sharp claws are anything but.

— Michelle Mastro, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026
Domagal-Goldman compared Roman’s capabilities to capturing an all-encompassing view of a forest as well as seeing sharp details of its trees, like leaves and birds, all at the same time.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of sharp

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acumen

acute

acutely

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Style

“Acute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acute. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of acute

adjective

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