acute

/əˈkjuːt/adjective

Very strong, keen, or sharp in effect or perception.

Example sentence

“He felt an acute pain in his lower back after lifting the box.”

In medicine, acute is the opposite of chronic: an acute illness comes on suddenly and is short-lived, not necessarily severe.

Related words

terminalThe building at an airport where travelers move between ground transport and their flights.chronicLasting for a long time or coming back again and again, used of problems or illnesses.benignGentle and mild; causing no harm.diseaseA condition that makes a person, animal, or plant unwell or stops it working properly, unlike an injury, which usually happens in an instant.malignantCausing harm or intending evil; dangerous and destructive.germA tiny living thing, such as a bacterium or virus, that can cause illness.