chronic
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
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continuing for a long time; constantly recurring
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(of a disease) developing slowly, or of long duration Compare acute
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inveterate; habitual
a chronic smoker
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informal
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very bad
the play was chronic
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very serious
he left her in a chronic condition
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Relating to an illness or medical condition that is characterized by long duration or frequent recurrence. Diabetes and hypertension are chronic diseases.
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Compare acute
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of chronic
First recorded in 1595–1605; from Latin chronicus, from Greek chronikós, equivalent to chrón(os) “time” + -ikos -ic
Explanation
If you smoke a cigarette once, you've simply made a bad choice. But if you're a chronic smoker, you've been smoking for a long time and will have a hard time stopping. The word chronic is used to describe things that occur over a long period of time and, in fact, comes from the Greek word for time, khronos. If you have chronic asthma, it is a recurring health issue for you. No one likes a chronic liar! A problem that cannot be solved can also be called chronic - think of the chronic food shortages in certain parts of the world.
Vocabulary lists containing chronic
List 2
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It's About Time: Chron and Temp
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100 SAT words Beginning with "C"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The researchers think that chronic fight-or-flight activity may raise the brain's need for choline.
From Science Daily • May 16, 2026
Many experts agree that it is a chronic condition which some people are simply more genetically disposed to than others.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
The state also uses Medicaid dollars to subsidize housing, meal deliveries and in-home chefs for patients with chronic diseases.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Another, beginning as an apology for chronic lateness, becomes an uncharacteristically aggressive defense of it.
From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026
They interpreted their slapdash working conditions, created by chronic underfunding by the AEC, as an ominous sign that the agency’s commitment to Livermore remained conditional.
From "Big Science" by Michael Hiltzik
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
