Acute Definition & Meaning

acute
adjective
  1. having or experiencing a rapid onset and short but severe course; "acute appendicitis"; "the acute phase of the illness"; "acute patients"
  2. extremely sharp or intense; "acute pain"; "felt acute annoyance"; "intense itching and burning"
  3. having or demonstrating ability to recognize or draw fine distinctions; "an acute observer of politics and politicians"; "incisive comments"; "icy knifelike reasoning"; "as sharp and incisive as the stroke of a fang"; "penetrating insight"; "frequent penetrative observations"
  4. of an angle; less than 90 degrees
  5. ending in a sharp point
  6. of critical importance and consequence; "an acute (or critical) lack of research funds"
noun
  1. a mark (') placed above a vowel to indicate pronunciation

"Acute" in song lyrics

See how acute is used in real songs:

  • "math acute"
    AOL — AOL
  • "examples of acute"
    AOL — AOL
  • "care center of rossmoor sub acute"
    AOL — AOL

Usage tips for "acute"

Understanding the precise definition of a word helps you use it with confidence. When using "acute" in your writing, consider whether you need the word itself or one of its synonyms — subtle differences in meaning can change the tone of a sentence. If you're writing poetry or song lyrics, check the rhymes for acute to find words that pair well.

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