pimple

1 of 2

noun

pim·​ple ˈpim-pəl How to pronounce pimple (audio)
Synonyms of pimplenext
1
: a small inflamed elevation of the skin : papule
especially : pustule
2
: a swelling or protuberance like a pimple
pimpled
ˈpim-pəld How to pronounce pimple (audio)
adjective
pimply
ˈpim-p(ə-)lē How to pronounce pimple (audio)
adjective

pimply

2 of 2

adjective

pim·​ply -p(ə)lē How to pronounce pimply (audio)
-li
-er/-est
: covered with pimples : pimpled
a pimply face

Synonyms of pimple

Relevance

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of pimple in a Sentence

Noun a painful pimple on his back
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.
Noun
Pair them with a benzoyl peroxide face wash and pimple-friendly moisturizer to speed up healing. — Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 26 May 2026 In addition to being predominantly white, shoes with pimples around the outside of the toes are not permitted. — Skyler Caruso, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026 Initial staph symptoms include skin reactions resembling pimples, boils or other conditions. — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 13 May 2026 Baker’s Stanford is a strong candidate, and his book follows in the tradition of Michael Lewis’s Wall Street chronicle Liar’s Poker, but with more pimples and less eye contact. — Literary Hub, 21 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for pimple

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English pymple; akin to Old English piplian to break out in pimples, and probably to English pimp — more at pimp entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of pimple was in the 14th century

Rhymes for pimple

See All Rhymes for pimple

Browse Nearby Words

Pimpla
pimple
pimpled
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Pimple.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pimple. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

pimple

noun
pim·​ple ˈpim-pəl How to pronounce pimple (audio)
: a small swelling of the skin often containing pus : pustule
pimpled
-pəld How to pronounce pimple (audio)
adjective
pimply
-p(ə-)lē How to pronounce pimple (audio)
adjective

Medical Definition

pimple

noun
pim·​ple ˈpim-pəl How to pronounce pimple (audio)
1
: a small inflamed elevation of the skin : papule
especially : pustule
2
: a swelling or protuberance like a pimple
pimpled
-pəld How to pronounce pimple (audio)
adjective
pimply
-p(ə-)lē How to pronounce pimple (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on pimple

Nglish: Translation of pimple for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All