Master confusing words with ease
Chronic vs. Acute
Chronic
/ˈkrɒnɪk/Examples:
'It was a chronic condition with Ralph Paton,' he said dryly.Chronic stress can lead to significant health issues.Her chronic lateness led to problems at work.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
This word has no antonymsAcute
/əˈkjuːt/Examples:
How very acute you are, Mortimer, in finding my weak place!Persecution mania very acute.He had acute insight into the team's dynamics.
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
Ways to tell them apart:
- Chronic sounds like it lasts long, like a chronic disease that persists over time.
- Acute sounds sharp and immediate, like an acute angle in geometry, suggesting a short-term condition.
- Think of chron for chronic, like chronology, indicating a longer timeline.
- Acute comes from the Latin word acutus, meaning sharp, resembling a critical condition.
- Chronic issues stick around like chronic pain, whereas acute conditions strike suddenly like an acute illness.
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