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

This will help new acne from forming. —Maria Goldbach, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2025

These startling human features belong to a round gray moon, whose cratered surface recalls the acne-scarred cheeks of, say, a fortyish weirdo who still lives with his elderly mother. —Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025

The couple’s 13-year-old daughter is now struggling with cystic acne as well, and the husband said the girl privately expressed anxiety about the event. —Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Dec. 2025

The star of the show, however, was my Biologique Recherche Masque Vivant which is a soothing, regulating, and pore-tightening mask for acne-prone skin. —Essence, 4 Dec. 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