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

And then for acne, there were three products that started the cascade of development. — Rachel Burchfield, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026

The silky, buildable formula camouflages all things acne scars, dark circles, and other blemishes without looking thick or cakey. — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 8 Aug. 2026

The suspect is described as Black, age 20 to 30, about 6 feet tall with yellow eyes, a beard and facial acne or razor bumps. — Harry Harris, Mercury News, 5 Aug. 2026

Abdelkarim’s humility is as evident as his youth, which is reflected in a few traces of teenage acne on his cheeks and a shy smile typical of someone who isn’t used to being the focus of media attention. — Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 2 Aug. 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