sunburn
Americannoun
verb (used with or without object)
noun
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Technical name: erythema solare. inflammation of the skin caused by overexposure to the sun
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another word for suntan
Other Word Forms
- sunburnt adjective
- unsunburned adjective
- unsunburnt adjective
- well-sunburned adjective
- well-sunburnt adjective
Etymology
Origin of sunburn
Vocabulary lists containing sunburn
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
“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
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.