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.
Across numerous studies, those with oily skin and acne had higher rates of anxiety and depression and were more likely to feel stress.14 How to Care for Oily Skin Establishing a skincare routine can go a long way in managing oily skin, removing excess oils, and preventing acne. Mark Gurarie, Health, 1 Jan. 2025 Initially created to help treat acne discreetly, Starface's designs turned acne patches into bold, eye-catching accessories. Lydia Patrick, Newsweek, 23 Dec. 2024 Tretinoin was first approved by the FDA in 1971—under the brand name Retin-A—as a topical acne treatment. Jasmine Browley, Allure, 13 Dec. 2024 And clogging up the pores in your skin could, guess what, worsen your acne. Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 8 Dec. 2024 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

Dictionary Entries Near acne

Cite this Entry

“Acne.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/acne. Accessed 6 Jan. 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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