acne

noun

ac·​ne ˈak-nē 

: a disorder of the skin that is marked by blemishes (such as whiteheads, blackheads, or pustules) especially on the face, chest, and shoulders and is caused by inflammation of sebaceous glands and hair follicles

especially : a form found chiefly in adolescents

acned

ˈak-nēd 

adjective

an acned teenager

acned skin

Examples of acne in a Sentence

a teenager with bad acne

Recent Examples on the Web

Clean Acne features blue LED lights to kill acne-causing bacteria while the Clean Redvolution combines the cleansing power of PMD Clean with the rejuvenating treatment of red light therapy. —Tory Johnson, ABC News, 13 Apr. 2026

Starface customers certainly have questions about acne, and customers of Blip, which sells nicotine gum, definitely have questions about how to stop smoking. —Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 13 Apr. 2026

The lotion is suitable for all skin types, including sensitive and acne-prone skin. —Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026

These masks use specific wavelengths of light — red for collagen support and blue for targeting acne bacteria — to address skin concerns at a cellular level. —Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin acnē, acna, borrowed from Late Greek aknḗ "eruption on the face," manuscript variant of akmḗ, literally, "point" — more at acme

First Known Use

1743, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing acne

• acne rosacea
• anti-acne
• mask acne

Kids Definition

acne

noun

ac·​ne ˈak-nē 

: a disorder of the skin caused by inflammation of skin glands and hair follicles and marked by pimples especially on the face

Medical Definition

acne

noun

ac·​ne ˈak-nē 

: a disorder of the skin that is marked by blemishes (such as whiteheads, blackheads, or pustules) especially on the face, chest, and shoulders and is caused by inflammation of sebaceous glands and hair follicles

especially : a form found chiefly in adolescents : acne vulgaris

acned

-nēd 

adjective