chronic

adjective

chron·ic ˈkrä-nik How to pronounce chronic (audio)

: continuing or occurring again and again for a long time

chronic indigestion

chronic experiments

: suffering from a chronic disease

the special needs of chronic patients

: always present or encountered

especially : constantly vexing, weakening, or troubling

chronic petty warfare

chronic meddling in one another's domestic affairs

Amatzia Baram

: being such habitually

a chronic grumbler

chronic noun

chronically

ˈkrä-ni-k(ə-)lē How to pronounce chronic (audio)

adverb

chronicity

krä-ˈni-sə-tē How to pronounce chronic (audio)

krō-

noun

Example Sentences

He suffers from chronic arthritis. a chronic need for attention Inflation has become a chronic condition in the economy. Don't bother seeing that film—it's chronic.

Recent Examples on the Web And the same survey has not revealed any uptick in most health conditions, including asthma episodes, high blood pressure, and chronic pain—which might be expected if America were getting sicker.

Tim Requarth, The Atlantic, 29 Aug. 2022 Witvliet still endures chronic pain, fatigue and neurological issues, including short-term memory loss.

Claretta Bellamy, NBC News, 28 Aug. 2022 Spain is one of four European countries that allow patients with incurable diseases or chronic pain to be euthanized, along with Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

Marina Lopes, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2022 Nightmares in dogs can be triggered by noises or chronic pain, Wag!

Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 21 Aug. 2022 The assault on multiple organ systems left her with diabetes, brain fog and chronic pain.

Marla Broadfoot, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Aug. 2022 Cannabis—also known as marijuana, ganja, weed, mary jane, among other names—is used in many countries, including most of the U.S., to treat conditions such as chronic pain and to ease some side effects of chemotherapy.

Feliz Solomon, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022 In some studies, opioid use declined when medical cannabis was available to control chronic pain.

Carolyn Rosenblatt, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022 Cruciani, whose medical practice focused on chronic pain, was found in the shower area of the New York City jail facility with a sheet around his neck, The New York Times reported.

Ronn Blitzer, Fox News, 15 Aug. 2022 See More

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French chronique, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Late Latin chronicus, going back to Latin, "written in the form of annals," borrowed from Greek chronikós "of time, temporal, in order by time," from chrónos "time" + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at chrono-

Note: Latin chronicus was used by medical writers (as Caelius Aurelianus, ca. early 5th century a.d.) to translate Greek chrónios "occurring again and again," used by Greek medical writers, though Greek chronikós, the source of chronicus, lacks this sense.

First Known Use

1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Medical Definition

chronic 1 of 2

adjective

chron·ic ˈkrän-ik How to pronounce chronic (audio)

variants also chronical

-i-kəl

: marked by long duration, by frequent recurrence over a long time, and often by slowly progressing seriousness : not acute

chronic indigestion

her hallucinations became chronic

: suffering from a disease or ailment of long duration or frequent recurrence

a chronic arthritic

chronic sufferers from asthma

: having a slow progressive course of indefinite duration

—used especially of degenerative invasive diseases, some infections, psychoses, and inflammations

chronic heart diseasechronic arthritischronic tuberculosis

compare acute sense 2b(1)

: infected with a disease-causing agent (as a virus) and remaining infectious over a long period of time but not necessarily expressing symptoms

chronic carriers may remain healthy but still transmit the virus causing hepatitis B

chronic

2 of 2

noun

: one that suffers from a chronic disease

chronic

adjective

as in persistent

being such by habit and not likely to change a chronic smoker who has quit—many, many times

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

persistent
habitual
serial
inveterate
addicted
regular
stubborn
steady
natural
confirmed
prone
dyed-in-the-wool
bred-in-the-bone
incorrigible
born
repeat
inherent
unreconstructed
accustomed
unregenerate
intrinsic
used
unfailing
unchanging
obstinate
inbred
habituated
innate
entrenched
deep-seated
deep-rooted
mulish
apt
wonted
inclined
intrenched
set

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

occasional
intermittent
unused
unaccustomed

Synonym Chooser

The words confirmed and inveterate are common synonyms of chronic. While all three words mean "firmly established," chronic suggests something that is persistent or endlessly recurrent and troublesome.

a chronic complainer

The words confirmed and chronic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, confirmed implies a growing stronger and firmer with time so as to resist change or reform.

a confirmed bachelor

While the synonyms inveterate and chronic are close in meaning, inveterate applies to a habit, attitude, or feeling of such long existence as to be practically ineradicable or unalterable.

an inveterate smoker

单词	chronic
释义	chronic adjective chron·ic ˈkrä-nik 1 a : continuing or occurring again and again for a long time chronic indigestion chronic experiments b : suffering from a chronic disease the special needs of chronic patients 2 a : always present or encountered especially : constantly vexing, weakening, or troubling chronic petty warfare chronic meddling in one another's domestic affairs Amatzia Baram b : being such habitually a chronic grumbler chronic noun chronically ˈkrä-ni-k(ə-)lē adverb chronicity krä-ˈni-sə-tē krō- noun Did you know? Chronic coughing goes on and on; chronic lateness occurs day after day; chronic lameness never seems to get any better. Unfortunately, situations that we call chronic almost always seem to be unpleasant. We never hear about chronic peace, but we do hear about chronic warfare. And we never speak of chronic health, only of chronic illness. Synonyms bred-in-the-bone confirmed dyed-in-the-wool habitual inveterate See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences He suffers from chronic arthritis. a chronic need for attention Inflation has become a chronic condition in the economy. Don't bother seeing that film—it's chronic. Recent Examples on the Web And the same survey has not revealed any uptick in most health conditions, including asthma episodes, high blood pressure, and chronic pain—which might be expected if America were getting sicker. Tim Requarth, The Atlantic, 29 Aug. 2022 Witvliet still endures chronic pain, fatigue and neurological issues, including short-term memory loss. Claretta Bellamy, NBC News, 28 Aug. 2022 Spain is one of four European countries that allow patients with incurable diseases or chronic pain to be euthanized, along with Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Marina Lopes, Washington Post, 25 Aug. 2022 Nightmares in dogs can be triggered by noises or chronic pain, Wag! Anna Kaufman, USA TODAY, 21 Aug. 2022 The assault on multiple organ systems left her with diabetes, brain fog and chronic pain. Marla Broadfoot, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Aug. 2022 Cannabis—also known as marijuana, ganja, weed, mary jane, among other names—is used in many countries, including most of the U.S., to treat conditions such as chronic pain and to ease some side effects of chemotherapy. Feliz Solomon, WSJ, 19 Aug. 2022 In some studies, opioid use declined when medical cannabis was available to control chronic pain. Carolyn Rosenblatt, Forbes, 18 Aug. 2022 Cruciani, whose medical practice focused on chronic pain, was found in the shower area of the New York City jail facility with a sheet around his neck, The New York Times reported. Ronn Blitzer, Fox News, 15 Aug. 2022 See More Word History Etymology borrowed from French chronique, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Late Latin chronicus, going back to Latin, "written in the form of annals," borrowed from Greek chronikós "of time, temporal, in order by time," from chrónos "time" + -ikos -ic entry 1 — more at chrono- Note: Latin chronicus was used by medical writers (as Caelius Aurelianus, ca. early 5th century a.d.) to translate Greek chrónios "occurring again and again," used by Greek medical writers, though Greek chronikós, the source of chronicus, lacks this sense. First Known Use 1601, in the meaning defined at sense 1a Phrases Containing chronic chronic fatigue syndrome chronic obstructive pulmonary disease chronic wasting disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy chronic fatigue syndrome chronic obstructive pulmonary disease chronic wasting disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy Kids Definition chronic adjective chron·ic ˈkrä-nik 1 : continuing for a long time or returning often a chronic disease 2 : happening or done frequently or by habit a chronic complainer chronic tardiness Medical Definition chronic 1 of 2 adjective chron·ic ˈkrän-ik variants also chronical -i-kəl 1 a : marked by long duration, by frequent recurrence over a long time, and often by slowly progressing seriousness : not acute chronic indigestion her hallucinations became chronic b : suffering from a disease or ailment of long duration or frequent recurrence a chronic arthritic chronic sufferers from asthma 2 a : having a slow progressive course of indefinite duration —used especially of degenerative invasive diseases, some infections, psychoses, and inflammations chronic heart diseasechronic arthritischronic tuberculosis compare acute sense 2b(1) b : infected with a disease-causing agent (as a virus) and remaining infectious over a long period of time but not necessarily expressing symptoms chronic carriers may remain healthy but still transmit the virus causing hepatitis B chronic 2 of 2 noun : one that suffers from a chronic disease chronic adjective as in persistent being such by habit and not likely to change a chronic smoker who has quit—many, many times Synonyms & Similar Words Relevance persistent habitual serial inveterate addicted regular stubborn steady natural confirmed prone dyed-in-the-wool bred-in-the-bone incorrigible born repeat inherent unreconstructed accustomed unregenerate intrinsic used unfailing unchanging obstinate inbred habituated innate entrenched deep-seated deep-rooted mulish apt wonted inclined intrenched set Antonyms & Near Antonyms occasional intermittent unused unaccustomed Synonym Chooser The words confirmed and inveterate are common synonyms of chronic. While all three words mean "firmly established," chronic suggests something that is persistent or endlessly recurrent and troublesome. a chronic complainer The words confirmed and chronic are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, confirmed implies a growing stronger and firmer with time so as to resist change or reform. a confirmed bachelor While the synonyms inveterate and chronic are close in meaning, inveterate applies to a habit, attitude, or feeling of such long existence as to be practically ineradicable or unalterable. an inveterate smoker
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chronic

adjective

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Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Phrases Containing chronic

Kids Definition

adjective

Medical Definition

adjective

noun

adjective

Synonym Chooser