sunburn

IPA/ˈsʌnbɜːn/
KK[sˈʌnbˌɚn]IPA/ˈsʌnbɜːrn/

sunburn — noun

1. damage to the skin that makes it red and painful, caused by staying under strong

1.nounB1
Definition

damage to the skin that makes it red and painful, caused by staying under strong sunlight without any protection

Example

Elena forgot to put on sunscreen and ended up with a painful sunburn on her shoulders.

collocation: painful sunburn

The doctor told Mark that a bad sunburn can damage your skin for many years.

collocation: bad sunburn

Common collocations
  • bad sunburn
  • severe sunburn
  • painful sunburn
  • mild sunburn
  • get a sunburn
  • have a sunburn
  • treat a sunburn
  • sunburn on + body part
Synonyms
  • sunburned skin

    more descriptive; focuses on the skin itself rather than the condition

  • redness

    broader term; can describe any skin redness, not just from the sun

Antonyms
  • tan

    refers to darker, not burnt, skin from moderate sun exposure

Grammar Patterns

get/have + sunburn

a + adj + sunburn

Usage Note

Sunburn is generally uncountable when referring to the condition in general ('Sunburn hurts.'), but it can be countable when referring to a specific case on a particular part of the body ('I got a bad sunburn on my nose.').

Common Mistakes

I have sunburn in my back.
I have a sunburn on my back.
Use 'on' for body parts, not 'in'.
I got sunburn from the sun.
I got a sunburn from the sun.' or 'I got sunburned.
The noun can take 'a' when referring to a specific instance.

sunburn — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Sunburn, suntan, tan, and sunstroke describe different reactions to the sun. Sunburn refers to red, painful skin from overexposure — it is a negative condition that can hurt and peel. A suntan (or simply tan) is the browning of skin from moderate sun exposure, often viewed as desirable. Sunstroke (also called heatstroke) is a dangerous overheating of the body, not a skin condition at all. For a concrete example: after a day at the beach without sunscreen, you might say 'I have a painful sunburn on my shoulders.' After gradual, protected sunbathing, you might say 'I got a nice tan.' If someone collapses from the heat, you would say 'He has sunstroke.'

sunburn ↗suntan ↗tan ↗sunstroke

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • get sunburned
  • suffer from sunburn
  • treat a sunburn
  • protect against sunburn

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Sunburn comes from Old English 'sunne' (sun) and 'byrnan' (to burn). The word has been used since the 14th century to describe skin that has been damaged by the sun.