Words / C1

KRON-ik/ˈkrɒnɪk/

Chronic means long-lasting, especially illness: chronic pain, chronic shortages. Acute (already in the dictionary) is short and sharp. Chronic is not a synonym of “very bad”, though informal speech uses it that way. Chronically is the adverb.

Meaning

Lasting for a long time, especially of an illness (the opposite of acute).

Examples

• “He has chronic back pain, not a sudden injury.”
• “The clinic treats chronic conditions, not emergencies.”
• “Chronic underfunding showed in the waiting lists.”

Good to know

chronic + illness/problem (long-term). Contrast: acute. Informal “very bad” is sloppy here.

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