- 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.
His Oscar-nominated “Pain and Glory” featured an aging filmmaker fighting chronic back spasms.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2026
Every participant also had at least two chronic medical conditions, such as a history of cancer or lung disease.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 13, 2026
In the book, she details her struggles with endometriosis, a chronic inflammatory disease affecting roughly 10% of women of reproductive age.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 12, 2026
But Truman felt that, over time, there was a risk of chronic cyanide poisoning, and that laetrile was far too dangerous to administer to a child.
From Slate ● Nov. 12, 2026
—Some of us children, due to a chronic shortage of buildings, desks, blackboards and benches, would have to be relocated in shacks down by the river.
From "Kaffir Boy: An Autobiography" by Mark Mathabane
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
