- a variation of cronic.
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 surge in demand for emergency care is due to heat-related illnesses, in addition to the fact that heat can exacerbate conditions like chronic obstructive respiratory syndrome or kidney issues.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026
Perhaps unexpectedly, the department said it did not note a substantial increase in asthma, acute respiratory symptoms or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease-related emergency department visits during the fire.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 30, 2026
Medicine only became real during his MD in Kolkata, at a 3,500-bed public hospital struggling with chronic shortages of medicines, equipment and staff.
From BBC • Jun. 28, 2026
Excess belly fat has been linked to slower metabolism, accelerated aging, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic health problems.
From Science Daily • Jun. 27, 2026
Roughly one-third of the planet already lived in chronic poverty, according to United Nations statistics.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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.
