For such a short and simple-looking word, acute has a rather bewildering range of meanings. It first entered the English language with a medical sense, referring to the sharpness or severity of a symptom.

ACUTE definition: sharp or severe in effect; intense. See examples of acute used in a sentence.

ACUTE definition: 1. If a bad situation is acute, it causes severe problems or damage: 2. An acute pain or illness…. Learn more.

If you say that someone is acute or has an acute mind, you mean that they are quick to notice things and are able to understand them clearly. Into her nineties, her thinking remained acute and her …

Acute, penetrating, shrewd imply a keenness of understanding, perception, or insight.

acute meaning, definition, what is acute: an acute problem is very serious: Learn more.

Exhaustively researched and thoroughly revised, the Fifth Edition contains 10,000 new words and senses, over 4,000 dazzling new full-color images, and authoritative, up-to-date guidance on usage …

1. sharp or severe in effect; intense: acute pain. 2. extremely great or serious: an acute shortage of oil. 3. (of disease) brief and severe (disting. from chronic). 4. penetrating in intellect, insight, or …

ACUTE meaning: 1 : very serious or dangerous requiring serious attention or action; 2 : having or showing an ability to think clearly and to understand what is not obvious or simple about something

Definition of acute adjective in Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary. Meaning, pronunciation, picture, example sentences, grammar, usage notes, synonyms and more.