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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 Masterfully executing this vision with acute attention to every detail was a team of talent, including Designer Michael Layne, Interior Designers Patty McDonald and Marcia Moore, and Builder Paul Conrado. Monica Lander, Mercury News, 30 May 2025 As of mid-May, 470,000 people there face catastrophic hunger, and the entire population is experiencing acute food insecurity, according to WFP. Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA Today, 29 May 2025 His official cause of death was acute hypoxic respiratory failure, which is a condition where the lungs aren't able to release enough oxygen into the bloodstream. Keith Langston, People.com, 25 May 2025 Intensity in relationships involves seeking out acute, high-stimulation feelings that often stem from fear, anxiety or a desire to escape emotional numbness, not from genuine connection. Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for acute
Recent Examples of Synonyms for acute
Adjective
  • The lightweight formula is fragrance-free — ideal for sensitive skin — and doubles as a primer thanks to its matte finish.
    Madison Yauger, People.com, 30 May 2025
  • These searches help keep digital communications and sensitive information safe.
    Jeremiah Bartz, The Conversation, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • Arsenal’s reticence to spend on development players is understandable — particularly in the case of last January, when there was also an urgent need for a first-team centre-forward.
    James McNicholas, New York Times, 6 June 2025
  • The appeals court said there is no urgent need for DOGE to access Social Security records in the interim.
    Nina Totenberg, NPR, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • But Tranter and Bartlett said Trump may settle roughly into this range of having an approval rating between 43 percent and 47 percent given the intense polarization of the country, as has been common in the past couple administrations.
    Jared Gans, The Hill, 31 May 2025
  • Residents of Maoming, China were treated to a celestial light show earlier this week when a surprise fireball burst to life overhead, illuminating the city before disappearing in an intense flare of light.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 31 May 2025
Adjective
  • According to insiders, Ahuja still believes in Rothman and wasn’t keen on a big shake-up, not when the studio has momentum, is profitable and is about to undertake the ambitious and risky move of releasing all four of Sam Mendes’ Beatles films in April 2028.
    Peter Kiefer, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2025
  • If her body isn’t always willing, her mind and her heart are still keen on the sport, so Press makes her most valuable contributions now in the quiet of the locker room.
    Houston Mitchell, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2025
Adjective
  • University of Southern California LOS ANGELES Inspired by Walt Disney artist and Imagineer John C. Hench, USC’s intensive BFA and MFA programs teach animation from a maker’s point of view.
    Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2025
  • Ware picked up all the cases while on intensive supervised release after serving three years and three months for aiding and abetting first-degree robbery out of Hennepin County.
    Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 6 June 2025
Adjective
  • As with uptime, Bluehost's quick and reliable customer support continues to impress us in testing.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 3 June 2025
  • Most of the garage lights on our list include power cords to plug them into an outlet, making installation quick and easy.
    Molly Blanco, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 June 2025
Adjective
  • The feedback was fierce—storyboards dismantled, ideas shredded—but the environment was psychologically safe.
    Ann Kowal Smith, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • Caron was used to seeing my fiery side, the fierce competitor, the demanding coach.
    Jim Calhoun with Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 31 May 2025
Adjective
  • The chip companies have recovered their sharp losses from earlier this year amid worries their stock prices had shot too high.
    Stan Choe, Los Angeles Times, 3 June 2025
  • President Donald Trump’s turbulent tariff policy is projected to cause a sharper slowdown in economic growth in the United States and around the world than previously expected, the Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) found in a Tuesday report.
    Solcyré Burga, Time, 3 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Acute.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acute. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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