ACUTELY Synonyms: 90 Similar and Opposite Words

acutely

adverb

Definition of acutely

as in keenly

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of acutely Global hospitality business Hilton is acutely aware of these concerns. — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 8 Oct. 2026 However, sharply rising diesel prices hit far more acutely and quickly in industries such as mining, quarrying and cement mixing, as well as other materials that are key in construction. — Natasha Chen, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026 As a piece of theater, the dialogue between the two men often lands on the heart like a wry, platonic romance — and the moments in which both take a stand against the bigotry of some of Seastone’s callers are suddenly and acutely poignant. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026 The impact would be felt even more acutely if African officials use this technology to help take the guesswork out of policymaking. — Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 5 Oct. 2026 What’s been acutely hard in the past few years is space scarcity, federal funding cuts, an atmosphere of censorship, and dwindling philanthropy. — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Belugas are beautiful, mystical creatures; anyone proximate to them would feel their loss acutely. — Arkansas Online, 28 Sep. 2026 Various events bring together factions of a fashion industry that is acutely aware of the vastness of its environmental footprint and how little is being done to mitigate it. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 25 Sep. 2026 But perhaps no one feels its expected passage in the Senate as acutely, or as personally, as Peter Mills. — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 24 Sep. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for acutely

Adverb

On set, Creed-Miles was also falling deeply in love—with storytelling—while also keenly being aware of the high stakes of adapting a beloved Austen classic.

— Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 8 Oct. 2026
Royal is also keenly aware of the significance of her AGT victory beyond her own career.

— Alicia Urrea, Billboard, 24 Sep. 2026

Definition of keenly

Adverb

The attacks and the air raid alerts that accompany them have severely disrupted life in the city, forcing millions to constantly seek shelter and paralyzing the capital’s businesses and transport networks.

— Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 5 Oct. 2026
While much of the AI safety debate has centered on losing control of AI, Altman said restricting access to AI too severely in the name of safety could be harmful too.

— Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of severely

Adverb

The comparisons between that movie and Elsinore, what with all the Hamlet being performed and poignantly referring back to our characters’ circumstances, have been impossible to ignore.

— Joe Reid, Vulture, 18 Sep. 2026
That’s a process that can help clarify thoughts, but knowing that no one was behind the dialogue, that the empathy was a technique and not a presence, left me with a sense of being poignantly unheard.

— Steven Barrie-Anthony, The Atlantic, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of poignantly

Adverb

But their complaints come as Lecornu's government seeks to rein in public spending to appease skittish bond markets, which have punished France more harshly than many of its peers this year, amid a global bond market rout.

— Jenni Reid, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
His government has also been harshly criticized for a migration crisis in Ceuta.

— JOSEPH WILSON, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026

Definition of harshly

Adverb

As money hijacks morality and democracy begins to look like a hoax, Tresnjak’s Broadway-caliber staging contrasts garish spectacle with piercingly intimate scenes between Claire and Anton.

— Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Chef Steven Pham is still simmering his signature Northern Vietnamese-style pho ga, which features a soul-piercingly clear broth, tender poached chicken, rice noodles, and a floating raft of fresh herbs.

— Becky Duffett, Bon Appetit Magazine, 8 June 2026

Definition of piercingly

Adverb

The movie’s strongest sequences provide the all-too-rare sensation of truly not being able to believe your eyes, as the film’s most fantastical elements feel distressingly real.

— Tiffany Kelly, Entertainment Weekly, 17 July 2026
The event was halted after an hour due to fears about her safety, which distressingly encapsulates a tension that the trans Mayan artist has navigated for years.

— Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 14 June 2026

Definition of distressingly

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“Acutely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/acutely. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of acutely

adverb

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