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

The most elegant, allover acne treatment out there. —Sophia Panych, Allure, 16 Sep. 2025

Offering a full-body facial to undo the unwanted, visible signs of summer, each one targets problems such as body acne, keratosis pilaris, ingrown hairs, rough texture, and dry, uneven skin-tone. —Angelina Villa-Clarke, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025

The condition can cause symptoms like irregular periods, excess hair growth, acne, weight gain and infertility. —Vanessa Etienne, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 2025

Fungal infection, yeast infection, some kind of autoimmune lesion such as pemphigus or lupus, acne, and solar dermatitis are just a few other possibilities that come to mind. —Dr. John De Jong, Boston Herald, 14 Sep. 2025

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