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

Polished pixie For the woman who has nothing to hide (like, not even some hairline acne), a pixie has always been a power move. — Loren Savini, Allure, 14 Oct. 2026

The causes of facial and body acne are similar, although skin bacteria sometimes play a larger role in body acne. — Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026

Renowned for her expertise in treating acne, Sofie Pavitt has introduced her own sunscreen. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 13 Oct. 2026

But this serum is especially great for balancing sebum levels and keeping blemishes in check thanks to its high concentration of niacinamide (15%) paired with acne-fighting zinc PCA and soothing allantoin. — Sarah Y. Wu, Glamour, 7 Oct. 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