chronic

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is used of a disease that is long-lasting (as opposed to acute), and has the same implication of continuing severity when used of other circumstances. An acute problem is intense but brief, whereas a chronic problem is severe and likely to persist:

Richard Wallace...bought no furniture, not wishing, perhaps, to add to the already acute problems of storage space—D. Mallett, 1979

Traffic congestion has become so chronic in Britain's cities that vehicles travel at an average speed of just 8 mph—Back Street Heroes, 1988.

The word is also used colloquially as a term of mild disapproval, especially in the phrase something chronic.

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adjective

1. Of long duration: continuing, lingering, persistent, prolonged, protracted. See continue/stop/pause.
2. Familiar through repetition: accustomed, habitual, routine. See usual/unusual.
3. Subject to a disease or habit for a long time: confirmed, habitual, habituated, inveterate. See continue/stop/pause.

adj

Definition: incessant, never-ending
Antonyms: curable, eradicable, intermittent, occasional, temporary

Applied to conditions that are long-lasting and are usually slow to develop. Compare acute.

n. very high quality marijuana containing lots of THC. (Probably from the association of THC with the use of marijuana in cases of chronic pain.)  Where can I get some genuine chronic?

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IN BRIEF: Continuing or occurring again and again.

The mail was chronically late on Thursdays.

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adjective
adjective

Of low quality; bad; unsatisfactory. (1904 —) .
Scotsman 'The weather is chronic,' says a Seaforth Highlander (1915).

[From earlier senses, continuous, persistent.]

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1. continuing over a long time; repeatedly recurring.
2. (of a disease) developing slowly or lasting for a long time.

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Persisting for a long time; the period is undefined and varies with circumstances; usually more than one week. US National Center for Health Statistics defines it as a condition of 3 months duration or longer. Also has the sense of the disease showing little change or very slow progression over a long period.

• c. obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) — is primarily a disease of the horse. It is a well-identified and common syndrome of chronic respiratory disease. Clinical signs include chronic cough, loud abnormal breath sounds and a double expiratory effort. The disease is a combination of chronic bronchitis and bronchiolitis complicated by pulmonary emphysema. Called also heaves, broken wind.
• c. respiratory disease — a disease of chickens caused by infection with Mycoplasma gallisepticum. It is characterized by coughing, nasal discharge, respiratory rales, a long course and the complication of airsacculitis. There is a loss of egg production and wastage by culling of carcasses at the abattoir but mortality is low.

adj

Characterized by a long, slow course, as opposed to acute.

For a list of words related to chronic, see:

• Diagnostic Terminology - chronic: (adj) designating disease of long duration with very slow changes and often gradual onset of recurrent symptoms, opposite of acute
• Relative Time - chronic: (adj) constant, continuing over time

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See words rhyming with "chronic."

Dansk (Danish)
adj. - kronisk, forfærdelig

Nederlands (Dutch)
chronisch, onverbeterlijk, vreselijk

Français (French)
adj. - (Méd) chronique, (fig) invétéré, chronique (une situation), permanent, (GB) nul (fam)

Deutsch (German)
adj. - chronisch, (ugs.) katastrophal

Ελληνική (Greek)
adj. - χρόνιος, (μτφ.) ανίατος, αδιόρθωτος, (Βρετ., καθομ.) απαίσιος

Italiano (Italian)
cronico

Português (Portuguese)
adj. - crônico

Русский (Russian)
хронический, постоянный

Español (Spanish)
adj. - crónico

Svenska (Swedish)
adj. - kronisk, ständig, hemsk (vard.)

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
慢性的, 习惯性的

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
adj. - 慢性的, 習慣性的

한국어 (Korean)
adj. - 만성의, 상습적인

日本語 (Japanese)
adj. - 長期にわたる, 慢性の, 常習的な, いやな, ひどい
n. - 慢性病患者

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(صفه) مزمن, متأصل, عضال‏

עברית (Hebrew)
adj. - ‮ממושך, כרוני, רע, חמור‬

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