It first entered the English language with a medical sense, referring to the sharpness or severity of a symptom. It retains this meaning today, but can also refer to the severity of more general matters, …

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.

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 …

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

3 days ago · In medicine, “acute” refers to how sudden and short-lived a condition is — not how serious it is. Here’s what the term really means for your health.

Acute definition: Of great importance or consequence; critical.

Jan 20, 2026 · In order to be an acute triangle, all three angles of a triangle must be less than 90°. These triangles can have very prickly personalities.

acute, adj. & n. meanings, etymology, pronunciation and more in the Oxford English Dictionary

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