cronic: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal (medical/technical), Informal (colloquial, especially UK)
Quick answer
What does “cronic” mean?
Persisting for a long time or constantly recurring.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Persisting for a long time or constantly recurring; long-lasting and difficult to eradicate.
Used informally to describe something very bad, intense, or of a very poor standard. Also used in medical contexts to describe a long-term condition.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The informal, negative intensifier meaning ('terrible', 'dreadful') is predominantly British. In American English, the word is used almost exclusively in its formal, medical/long-term sense.
Connotations
UK informal: Strongly negative, often humorous or emphatic. US/Formal: Neutral/descriptive of duration.
Frequency
The informal sense is high-frequency in UK casual speech. The formal sense is medium-frequency in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “cronic” in a Sentence
be ~ (of)suffer from ~ [condition]~ be a problem~ be a suffererVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cronic” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- N/A – 'chronic' is not used as a verb.
American English
- N/A – 'chronic' is not used as a verb.
adverb
British English
- N/A – 'chronically' is the adverb form.
- The service is chronically understaffed.
American English
- N/A – 'chronically' is the adverb form.
- The area is chronically depressed economically.
adjective
British English
- He's been a chronic asthmatic since childhood.
- The traffic on this road is absolutely chronic!
American English
- She manages a chronic autoimmune disease.
- The region faces chronic water shortages.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used to describe persistent problems, e.g., 'chronic underinvestment'.
Academic
Used in medical, social, and economic contexts to describe long-term phenomena.
Everyday
In the UK, used informally to complain, e.g., 'This weather is chronic!' In the US, used more literally.
Technical
A key term in medicine (e.g., chronic vs. acute), engineering (chronic failure), and sociology.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cronic”
- Using 'chronic' to mean 'severe' without the sense of long duration (e.g., 'a chronic earthquake').
- Overusing the informal UK sense in formal or American writing.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but this is an informal, mainly British usage. In formal writing and American English, it primarily means 'long-lasting'.
The direct opposite is 'acute,' which describes a condition with a sudden onset and short duration.
No, 'chronical' is an archaic or erroneous form. The correct adjective is 'chronic,' and the adverb is 'chronically.'
Use it in its core meaning of 'persistent/long-term,' e.g., 'chronic unemployment,' 'chronic health conditions.' Avoid the informal negative intensifier sense.
Persisting for a long time or constantly recurring.
Cronic: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkrɒnɪk/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkrɑːnɪk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A chronic worrier”
- “Chronic fatigue syndrome”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a CHRONicle (a record of events over time) – 'chronic' describes something that lasts a long TIME.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A PERSISTENT FORCE (a chronic problem is one that 'keeps on going').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the informal British meaning of 'chronic' most likely used?