Acute

medium

uh-KYOOT

adjective

Definition

Having or showing a perceptive understanding or insight; sharp or severe

Examples

She had an acute awareness of social dynamics.
The patient experienced acute pain in his chest.

Synonyms

keensharpperceptivepenetrating

Antonyms

obtusedullimperceptiveblunt

Categories

GRE Tip

Acute is a medium-difficulty GRE word. On the GRE, you might see it paired with synonyms like "keen" or "sharp" in Sentence Equivalence questions. Look for contrast clues (however, despite, although) that signal the opposite meaning. Words like "obtuse".

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