acute
[adjective]
Synonyms:
- serious, critical, crucial, dangerous, grave, important, severe, urgent
- sharp, excruciating, fierce, intense, piercing, powerful, severe, shooting, violent
- perceptive, astute, clever, insightful, keen, observant, sensitive, sharp, smart

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Antonyms: blunt, obtuse, dull, grave
Contrasted words: crass, dense, dull, slow, stupid, imperceptive, insensitive, imprecise, inaccurate, inexact, uncritical, bass, deep, low
Related Words: barbed, prickly, spiky, spined, spiny, cutting, incisive, trenchant, piercing, observant, penetrating, probing, accurate, meticulous, precise, reedy, screechy, shrieky, shrilly, squeaky, tinny, afflictive, grave, serious, aggravated, intensified, dangerous, hazardous, menacing, perilous, precarious, threatening, exigent, urgent

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English Thesaurus: serious, severe, grave, acute, desperate, ...

[TahlilGaran] English Synonym Dictionary ▲

a‧cute /əˈkjuːt/ adjective
[Date: 1300-1400; Language: Latin; Origin: past participle of acuere 'to sharpen', from acus 'needle']

1. PROBLEM an acute problem is very serious:
The housing shortage is more acute than first thought.

2. FEELING an acute feeling is very strong:
acute pain
acute embarrassment
acute anxiety

3. ILLNESS technical an acute illness or disease quickly becomes very serious Antonym : chronic:
acute arthritis

4. SENSES acute senses such as hearing, taste, touch etc are very good and sensitive:
Young children have a particularly acute sense of smell.

5. INTELLIGENT quick to notice and understand things Synonym : sharp:
Simon’s vague manner concealed an acute mind.
an acute analysis of Middle Eastern politics

6. MATHEMATICS technical an acute angle is less than 90° ⇒ obtuse

7. PUNCTUATION an acute accent (=a mark used to show pronunciation) is a small mark written above a vowel. In ‘café’, the letter ‘e’ has an acute accent ⇒ grave, circumflex
—acuteness noun [uncountable]

[TahlilGaran] Dictionary of Contemporary English ▲

serious very bad – used about problems, accidents, illnesses, or crimes:
Violent crime is a serious problem in and around the capital.
The boy was taken to hospital with serious head injuries.
Fortunately, the damage to the car was not serious.
severe very serious – used about problems, injuries, and illnesses:
He suffered severe injuries in a car crash.
The problem became so severe that they had to bring water in from other countries.
severe epilepsy
grave used about a situation that is very serious and worrying, especially because it is dangerous or seems likely to get worse:
A thick fog descended and I knew that we were in grave danger.
The situation is grave – war now seems inevitable.
acute used about an illness, problem, or situation that has become very serious or dangerous, and needs to be dealt with quickly:
She was taken to the hospital suffering from acute appendicitis.
In San Diego, the shortage of skilled workers is acute.
desperate used about a situation or problem that is very serious or dangerous, especially because a lot of people need urgent help:
The situation is desperate – people here need aid before the harsh winter sets in.
The hospital is full of people in desperate need of medical attention.
critical used about a situation that is very serious and dangerous and might get worse suddenly:
In 1991, the food supply situation became critical.
Eight people were killed and four are still in a critical condition.
life-threatening used about a situation, illness, or condition in which someone could die:
Her child had a potentially life-threatening illness.
The situation was not life-threatening, but it was very worrying.
be a matter of life and death spoken to be extremely serious – used when a situation is very urgent or important:
For people living with HIV, getting the right treatment is literally a matter of life and death.
solemn very serious because of an important or sad occasion or ceremony:
My father looked solemn, the way grown-ups look at funerals.
The judge read the verdict in a solemn voice.
sombre British English (also somber American English) /ˈsɒmbə $ ˈsɑːmbər/ written sad, quiet, or serious because something unpleasant or worrying has happened or is going to happen:
They sat in sombre silence.
The meeting began in a sombre mood.
earnest very serious and sincere – often used about someone who is young and not very experienced:
He was a rather earnest-looking young man.
‘That’s wrong,’ she said, her voice sounding very earnest.

[TahlilGaran] English Thesaurus ▲