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 His most acute scorn was reserved for my then-colleague, Alan Abelson, the longtime lead columnist and former Barron’s editor known for his florid, literate and persistent bearishness. — Michael Santoli, CNBC, 24 Aug. 2026 Infections can lead to a severe complication that involves acute kidney failure. — Mike Stobbe, Los Angeles Times, 24 Aug. 2026 The specialised center treats children for acute and chronic pain. — Kirk Ogunrinde, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026 Like many patients, especially those in acute distress, Clancy was perhaps not always perfectly transparent or coöperative with her medical providers. — Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for acute

Recent Examples of Synonyms for acute

Adjective

Those could include remote sensors, autonomous underwater vehicles and other equipment that requires persistent, low-visibility power in remote and sensitive offshore and coastal environments, as well as power resiliency for forward military bases.

— ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
Musk’s officials infiltrated department after department, canceling contracts, firing employees, viewing sensitive data, and kneecapping programs related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, as well as foreign aid.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 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

Utilities have raised rates to pay for wildfire prevention and recovery as climate change has made the blazes more intense and frequent.

— Sophie Austin, Fortune, 25 Aug. 2026
Electrolyte beverages can help replenish hydration after an intense workout or stomach bug.

— Stephanie Brown, Verywell Health, 25 Aug. 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

By the twentieth century, intensive farming practices had left the South dangerously vulnerable to erosion, producing depleted swaths of land where kudzu would later flourish.

— The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 26 Aug. 2026
The next day, Alex Pretti, an intensive-care nurse and a lifelong Catholic, was shot and killed by federal agents.

— Bill McKibben, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 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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“Acute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acute. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of acute

adjective

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