chronic
Ongoing, never resolving
Chronic describes conditions that persist over long periods, especially medical ones: chronic pain, chronic fatigue, chronic inflammation.
The word contrasts with acute, which describes sudden, severe, short-term conditions.
Extended to habits or problems, chronic suggests ongoing and seemingly intractable: chronic unemployment, a chronic liar.
In British slang, chronic means very bad: The service was chronic.
Persistent dull discomfort
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
- discomfortMild physical or mental distress
- malaiseDiffuse, sourceless discomfort
- throbBeat with intensity
spasm · sting · twinge · persistent · nagging · dull · sharp · radiating
Metabolic disorder affecting glucose
- arthritisInflamed joint disease
- hypertensionChronic elevated arterial pressure
- asthmaChronic lung inflammation
- fibromyalgiaChronic widespread musculoskeletal pain condition
lupus · epilepsy · Crohn's disease · Parkinson's · Alzheimer's · COPD · autoimmune · inflammation
Lasting extended period
- prolongedMade to last longer
- sustainedKept up continuously
- ongoingIn progress now
- continuousWithout pause or gap
persistent · enduring · lifelong · indefinite · permanent · unending · recurrent · relapsing
Compulsive substance reliance
- dependencyState of needing support
- compulsionIrresistible urge to act
- patternRecurring arrangement or template
- behaviorManner of conducting oneself
tendency · recurring · ingrained · habitual · relapse · cycle · repetitive · entrenched
Extremely harsh or strict
- debilitatingCausing severe impairment
- cripplingCausing severe impairment
- incapacitatingMaking unable to act
- unrelentingRefusing to let up
intractable · refractory · advanced · worsening · deteriorating · acute · mild · moderate
ache
Persistent dull discomfort
- sufferingSustained experience of distress
- discomfortMild physical or mental distress
- malaiseDiffuse, sourceless discomfort
throb · spasm · sting · twinge · persistent · nagging · dull · sharp · radiating · flare
diabetes
Metabolic disorder affecting glucose
- arthritisInflamed joint disease
- hypertensionChronic elevated arterial pressure
- asthmaChronic lung inflammation
fibromyalgia · lupus · epilepsy · Crohn's disease · Parkinson's · Alzheimer's · COPD · autoimmune · inflammation · flare-up
long-term
Lasting extended period
continuous · persistent · enduring · lifelong · indefinite · permanent · unending · recurrent · relapsing · unremitting
addiction
Compulsive substance reliance
- dependencyState of needing support
- compulsionIrresistible urge to act
- patternRecurring arrangement or template
behavior · tendency · recurring · ingrained · habitual · relapse · cycle · repetitive · entrenched · deep-rooted
severe
Extremely harsh or strict
- debilitatingCausing severe impairment
- cripplingCausing severe impairment
- incapacitatingMaking unable to act
unrelenting · intractable · refractory · advanced · worsening · deteriorating · acute · mild · moderate · manageable
- medicinedoctor, doctors, hospital, medicine, surgery
- Greek wordsalpha, beta, gamma, delta, epsilon
- SAT vocabularyaesthetic, ambiguous, benevolent, candid, concise
- medical adjectivessurgical, cardiac, orthopedic, malignant, respiratory
- medical diagnosisdiagnosis, symptom, symptoms, condition, disease
- medical stagesacute phase, recovery phase, late stage, early-stage, advanced stage
chronictemporary
Limited in duration
brief · transient · short-lived · fleeting · passing
chronicacute
Intensely severe or perceptive
subacute · critical · emergent · curable · eradicable
chronicoccasional
Happening at intervals
intermittent · sporadic · infrequent · casual · irregular
- chronic painEnduring physical suffering
- chronic illnessLasting health impairment
- chronic conditionPersistent medical state
- chronic fatigueLasting state of tiredness
- chronic diseasePersistent medical condition
- chronic anxietyProlonged state of unease
chronicle, synchronize, chronology, anachronism, chronically, chronometer, chronic bronchitis