sunburn

American  

[suhn-burn] / ˈsʌnˌbɜrn /

noun

1. inflammation of the skin caused by overexposure to the sun or a sunlamp.

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verb (used with or without object)

sunburned, sunburnt, sunburning

1. to affect or be affected with sunburn.

   An hour in the sun sunburned me severely. I sunburn easily.

sunburn British  

/ ˈsʌnˌbɜːn /

noun

1. Technical name: erythema solare.  inflammation of the skin caused by overexposure to the sun

2. another word for suntan

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Other Word Forms

• sunburnt adjective
• unsunburned adjective
• unsunburnt adjective
• well-sunburned adjective
• well-sunburnt adjective

Etymology

Origin of sunburn

First recorded in 1520–30; sun + burn ¹

Example Sentences

“I like to think of this as a sunburn: The first day you get it, it’s really bad. Day after day, it does get a little bit better, but there’s still a burn.”

From MarketWatch • Jan. 26, 2026

UV radiation can injure DNA and generate oxidative stress in skin cells, which in turn triggers inflammation that causes the familiar redness, pain, and blistering of sunburn.

From Science Daily • Nov. 30, 2025

If you’re lucky enough to attend a Ryder Cup, you are supposed to wear your best khaki shorts, get a sunburn and keep your trap shut during the pressure shots.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 3, 2025

A family's dream holiday turned into a nightmare when severe sunburn left a 10-year-old boy requiring hospital treatment.

From BBC • Aug. 30, 2024

Fewer areas to put sunscreen on and fewer areas to sunburn.

From "Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus" by Dusti Bowling