sunburn

1 of 2

verb

sun·​burn ˈsən-ˌbərn 

sunburned ˈsən-ˌbərnd  or sunburnt ˈsən-ˌbərnt  ; sunburning

transitive verb

: to burn or discolor by the sun

intransitive verb

: to become sunburned

sunburn

2 of 2

noun

: inflammation of the skin caused by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation especially from sunlight

Examples of sunburn in a Sentence

Noun

He has a bad sunburn.

Use sunscreen to prevent sunburn.

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Their eyes are merely sunburned — on set by the enormous spotlight brought in to satiate the studio’s demand for the film to be brighter. —Jack King, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2024

Location Hôtel du Couvent sits smack in Nice's Old Town, where streets are narrow and buildings look perpetually sunburned. —Paul Jebara, Travel + Leisure, 18 Oct. 2024

Noun

Protect your scalp from ultraviolet (UV) rays, as a sunburn in that area can increase flaky skin. —Cristina Mutchler, Verywell Health, 29 Oct. 2024

While mild sunburns can typically resolve within a week or so, sun poisoning may take up to a few weeks to fully clear up. —Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 7 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

back-formation from sunburned, from sun + burned

First Known Use

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1584, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

sunburn

1 of 2 verb

sun·​burn -ˌbərn 

sunburned -ˌbərnd  or sunburnt -ˌbərnt  ; sunburning

1

: to burn or discolor by the sun

2

: to become sunburned

sunburn

2 of 2 noun

: a sore red state of the skin caused by too much sunlight

Medical Definition

sunburn

1 of 2 transitive verb

sun·​burn -ˌbərn 

sunburned -ˌbərnd  or sunburnt -ˌbərnt  ; sunburning

: to affect with sunburn

sunburned skin

sunburn

2 of 2 noun

: inflammation of the skin caused by overexposure to ultraviolet radiation especially from sunlight

called also erythema solare