pimples

noun

plural of pimple
as in blisters
a small, inflamed swelling of the skin a painful pimple on his back

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of pimples The biggest overnight mistakes include sleeping in makeup, skipping moisturizer, over-exfoliating, using SPF as a night cream and picking at pimples in bed. — Samantha Agate, Sacbee.com, 17 Aug. 2026 In addition to being predominantly white, shoes with pimples around the outside of the toes are not permitted. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 Thabi Hlela of African Alabaster Botanical Skincare uses marula and shea butter in formulations that have cleared pimples and reversed early aging signs in customers who had tried pharmaceutical alternatives. — Lisa Curtis, Forbes.com, 31 May 2026 Well, in Traditional Chinese Medicine, pimples are related to internal imbalances of heat and blood stagnation. — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 29 May 2026 Baker’s Stanford is a strong candidate, and his book follows in the tradition of Michael Lewis’s Wall Street chronicle Liar’s Poker, but with more pimples and less eye contact. — Literary Hub, 21 May 2026 Initial staph symptoms include skin reactions resembling pimples, boils or other conditions. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 13 May 2026 Pain That Feels Disproportionate HS lesions are often deeper and more painful than typical pimples or ingrown hairs. — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 6 May 2026 This year, Select editors got ahead of any surprise pimples by investigating the difference between skin purging and breakouts, researching the best over-the-counter topicals for teen acne, and asking dermatologists the best blackhead treatments for acne-prone skin. — David Hickey, NBC news, 17 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pimples
  1. pustules
  2. zits
  3. boils
  4. bumps
Noun
  • This causes small but often painful red pustules that cluster at the places where the hairstyle is pulling the tightest.
    — Ayren Jackson-Cannady, Allure, 20 Aug. 2026
  • In animals, the bacterium causes pustules and lesions, predominantly in cattle, sheep, and horses.
    — Helen Branswell, STAT, 11 May 2026
Definition of pustules
Noun
  • Property without zits or opinions.
    — Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 29 Apr. 2026
  • Salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid (BHA) lauded for its exfoliating and anti-inflammatory properties, has long been the MVP of breakout control, but today’s best salicylic acid serums go well beyond zapping zits.
    — Sarah Han, Allure, 27 Jan. 2026
Definition of zits
Noun
  • People showed strange boils and rashes that volunteers photographed.
    — Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Owners Anthony and Jennifer Arceneaux employ a special purge method to clean all their crawfish before tossing them into their famous boils or adding them to their crawfish etouffee.
    — Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of boils
Noun
  • This coming season will give rise to even more over-the-air broadcasts (71), as NBC bumps its regular-season slate to 50 games, while ABC will handle 21 games.
    — Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Many stars, including Hathaway, have been embracing maternity dressing that shows off their bumps, rather than eclipsing them with boxy silhouettes.
    — Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of bumps

Browse Nearby Words

pimple
pimples
pimps
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pimples.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pimples. Accessed 25 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on pimples

Nglish: Translation of pimples for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tilde

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

16 Glee-ridden Words from Schitt's Creek
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All