adjective
1.
Synonyms: pointed 1, acicular, aciculate, acuminate, acuminous, cuspidate, peaked, peaky, piked, sharp
Related Word: barbed, prickly, spiky, spined, spiny
Antonyms: blunt
2.
Synonyms: sharp 4, keen, penetrating, penetrative, quick-sighted, quick-witted, sharp-sighted, sharp-witted
Related Word: cutting, incisive, trenchant; piercing
Contrasted words: crass, dense, dull, slow, stupid
Antonyms: obtuse
3.
perceiving clearly and sensitively
an acute ear
Synonyms: keen, perceptive, sensitive, sharp
Related Word: observant, penetrating, probing; accurate, meticulous, precise
Contrasted words: imperceptive, insensitive; imprecise, inaccurate; inexact, uncritical
Antonyms: dull
4.
elevated in pitch
an acute note
Synonyms: argute, high, piercing, piping, sharp, shrill, thin, treble
Related Word: penetrating; reedy, screechy, shrieky, shrilly, squeaky; tinny
Contrasted words: bass, deep, low
Antonyms: grave
5.
Synonyms: sharp 8, knifelike, piercing, shooting, stabbing
6.
serious to the point of approaching a crisis
an acute housing shortage
Synonyms: climacteric, critical, crucial, desperate, dire
Related Word: afflictive, grave, serious; aggravated, intensified; dangerous, hazardous, menacing, perilous, precarious, threatening; exigent, urgent