Acutely
/əˈkjuːtli/
adverbIntermediateCommonGeneral
Meaning
Questions
Definitions
1
To a high degree; sharply; intensely.
/əˈkjuːtli/
adverbneutralIntermediate
General
To a great extent; severely or intensely.
He acutely felt the loss of his friend.
💡 Simply: Very much so; strongly.
More Examples
2
The problem was acutely felt by the community.
How It's Used
Medical
"The patient was acutely ill and required immediate hospitalization."
General
"She acutely aware of the risks involved."
From Middle English *acutly, from Old French *acument, from Latin *acutus (sharp). The sense of 'keenly' developed from the original meaning of 'sharply'.
While the word's root implies 'sharpness,' its usage to describe intensity of feeling or experience developed over time.
Memory tip
Think of a sharp, pointed object – that's how acutely something can be felt or experienced.
Practice
acutlyacutley
Usage
20%Spoken
80%Written