medicala chronic illness or chronic pain is serious and lasts for a long time. A serious illness or pain that lasts only for a short time is described as acute
chronic back pain
Synonyms and related words
Words used to describe illnesses, diseases and medical conditions
acute
advanced
asymptomatic
Synonyms and related words
Physically painful and describing pain
achy
acute
agonising
2
a chronic problem is always happening or returning and is very difficult to solve
a chronic shortage of food/money/resources
Synonyms and related words
Difficult or impossible to deal with
difficult
impossible
trying
3
usually before noundoing something again and again, especially something harmful that you are unable or unwilling to stop doing
a chronic liar/smoker/workaholic
Synonyms and related words
Habits and habitual behaviour
habit
routine
daily life
4
Britishinformalvery bad
The film was pretty chronic, but we had a goodlaugh.
Synonyms and related words
Bad or of a low quality
sad
poor
terribly
derived word
chronically
adverb
chronicallysickpatients
chronic
adjective
US /ˈkrɑnɪk/
Other entries for this word
chronic fatigue syndromenoun
DEFINITIONS4
1
medicala chronic illness or chronic pain is serious and lasts for a long time. A serious illness or pain that lasts only for a short time is described as acute
chronic back pain
Synonyms and related words
Words used to describe illnesses, diseases and medical conditions
acute
advanced
asymptomatic
Synonyms and related words
Physically painful and describing pain
achy
acute
agonising
2
a chronic problem is always happening or returning and is very difficult to solve
a chronic shortage of food/money/resources
Synonyms and related words
Difficult or impossible to deal with
difficult
impossible
trying
3
usually before noundoing something again and again, especially something harmful that you are unable or unwilling to stop doing
a chronic liar/smoker/workaholic
Synonyms and related words
Habits and habitual behavior
habit
routine
custom
4
Britishinformalvery bad
The movie was pretty chronic, but we had a goodlaugh.