The difference between Acute and Keen

When used as nouns, acute means a person who has the acute form of a disorder, such as schizophrenia, whereas keen means a prolonged wail for a deceased person.

When used as verbs, acute means to give an acute sound to, whereas keen means to make cold, to sharpen.

When used as adjectives, acute means brief, quick, short, whereas keen means often with a prepositional phrase, or with and an infinitive: showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness.


check bellow for the other definitions of Acute and Keen

  1. Acute as an adjective:

    Brief, quick, short.

    Examples:

    "synonyms fast rapid"

    "antonyms leisurely slow"

    "It was an acute event."

  2. Acute as an adjective:

    High or shrill.

    Examples:

    "an acute accent or tone"

  3. Acute as an adjective:

    Intense, sensitive, sharp.

    Examples:

    "synonyms kepowerfustrong"

    "antonyms dulobtuse slow witless"

    "She had an acute sense of honour.  Eagles have very acute vision."

  4. Acute as an adjective:

    Urgent.

    Examples:

    "synonyms emergent pressing suddurgent"

    "His need for medical attention was acute."

  5. Acute as an adjective (botany):

    With the sides meeting directly to form an acute angle (at an apex or base).

    Examples:

    "synonyms obtuse"

  6. Acute as an adjective (geometry):

    Of an angle: less than 90 degrees.

    Examples:

    "antonyms obtuse"

  7. Acute as an adjective (geometry):

    Of a triangle: having all three interior angles measuring less than 90 degrees.

    Examples:

    "synonyms acute-angled"

    "antonyms obtuse obtuse-angled"

  8. Acute as an adjective (linguistics, chiefly, historical):

    Of an accent or tone: generally higher than others.

  9. Acute as an adjective (medicine):

    Of an abnormal condition of recent or sudden onset, in contrast to delayed onset; this sense does not imply severity, unlike the common usage.

    Examples:

    "He dropped dead of an acute illness."

  10. Acute as an adjective (medicine):

    Of a short-lived condition, in contrast to a chronic condition; this sense also does not imply severity.

    Examples:

    "antonyms chronic"

    "The acute symptoms resolved promptly."

  11. Acute as an adjective (orthography):

    After a letter of the alphabet: having an acute accent.

    Examples:

    "The last letter of ‘café’ is ‘e’ acute."

  1. Acute as a noun (medicine):

    A person who has the acute form of a disorder, such as schizophrenia.

  2. Acute as a noun (linguistics, chiefly, historical):

    An accent or tone higher than others.

    Examples:

    "antonyms grave"

  3. Acute as a noun (orthography):

    An acute accent (´).

    Examples:

    "The word ‘cafe’ often has an acute over the ‘e’."

  1. Acute as a verb (transitive, phonetics):

    To give an acute sound to.

    Examples:

    "He acutes his rising inflection too much."

  2. Acute as a verb (transitive, archaic):

    To make acute; to sharpen, to whet.

  1. Keen as an adjective:

    Often with a prepositional phrase, or with and an infinitive: showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness; eager, enthusiastic, interested.

    Examples:

    "I’m keen about computers."

    "I’m [[keen on keen on]] you. I like you. inline=1"

    "He is keen for help."

    "She’s keen to learn another language."

    "“Do you want to go on holiday with me?” / “Yes, I’m keen.”"

  2. Keen as an adjective:

    Fierce, intense, vehement.

    Examples:

    "This boy has a keen appetite."

  3. Keen as an adjective:

    Having a fine edge or point; sharp.

  4. Keen as an adjective:

    Acute of mind, having or expressing mental acuteness; penetrating, sharp.

  5. Keen as an adjective:

    Acrimonious, bitter, piercing.

    Examples:

    "'keen satire or sarcasm"

  6. Keen as an adjective:

    Of cold, wind, etc.: cutting, penetrating, piercing, sharp.

    Examples:

    "a keen wind"

    "the cold is very keen'"

  7. Keen as an adjective (Britain):

    Extremely low as to be competitive.

    Examples:

    "'keen prices"

  8. Keen as an adjective (US, informal, dated):

    Marvelous.

    Examples:

    "I just got this peachy keen new dress."

  9. Keen as an adjective (obsolete):

    Brave, courageous; audacious, bold.

  1. Keen as a verb (transitive, rare):

    To make cold, to sharpen.

  1. Keen as a noun:

    A prolonged wail for a deceased person.

  1. Keen as a verb (intransitive):

    To utter a keen.

  2. Keen as a verb (transitive):

    To utter with a loud wailing voice or wordless cry.

  3. Keen as a verb (transitive):

    To mourn.