Words / B2

uh-KYOOT/əˈkjuːt/

Acute means severe, sharp, or highly developed: acute pain, an acute shortage, acute hearing. Severe is the everyday cousin for illness and problems; sharp works for senses. Cute means attractive in a sweet way — a spelling and meaning trap, not a synonym. An acute angle is less than 90 degrees (maths). In speech, severe or very sharp is enough. Do not write cute pain, and do not use acute as a stylish synonym for clever unless you mean keen insight (an acute observation).

Meaning

Severe, or very sharp and strong (acute pain; acute awareness); not the same as cute.

Examples

• “She was in acute pain after the fall.”
• “There is an acute shortage of lab technicians this term, not a mild dip.”
• “Her acute awareness of tone stopped a joke that would have landed badly.”

Good to know

Severe / sharp / keen. Everyday: severe. Contrast: cute = sweet-looking (trap). Maths: acute angle < 90°. Not a synonym of cute.

Near in meaning

severe

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