acne

noun

ac·​ne ˈak-nē How to pronounce acne (audio)
: 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 adjective
an acned teenager
acned skin

Examples of acne in a Sentence

a teenager with bad acne
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The lineup includes the Mānuka Cleanser, $58; Mānuka Cream, $88; Mānuka Essence, $110; Mānuka Mask, $76, and Mānuka Salve, $68, which is formulated for concentrated areas of irritation such as acne or dry patches. Emily Burns, Footwear News, 22 Oct. 2025 Adult acne is much more inflammatory. Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 17 Oct. 2025 These medications are up to 20 times stronger than over-the-counter retinols and can increase collagen production, speed up the skin’s natural regeneration process, exfoliate dead skin cells, and reduce acne. Jessie Quinn, StyleCaster, 10 Oct. 2025 Retinol belongs to a class of ingredients called retinoids, which are key to a wide category of skincare products beloved for their skin-firming and acne-clearing abilities. Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 9 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for acne

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of acne was in 1743

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Acne.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acne. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

acne

noun
ac·​ne ˈak-nē How to pronounce acne (audio)
: 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 How to pronounce acne (audio)
: 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 adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on acne

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