Meaning & use
tanned complexion
Last updated
Meaning
nouncountable
Skin that has become darker than usual, especially from being in the sun.
Grammar: Countable; usually used with 'a' or 'her/his': She has a tanned complexion.
Patterns
- have a tanned complexion
- get a tanned complexion
- a tanned complexion from something
After two weeks at the beach, she came home with a tanned complexion.
He has a naturally tanned complexion, even in winter.
The cream gave her a tanned complexion without any sun exposure.
Common combinations
- a healthy tanned complexion
- The doctor said a healthy tanned complexion still needs sun protection.
- a deep tanned complexion
- Her deep tanned complexion made her look like she had been abroad for months.
- a natural tanned complexion
- His natural tanned complexion comes from his family background.
- a tanned complexion from the sun
- She had a tanned complexion from the sun after the holiday.
Synonyms and how they differ
- suntanned
- Describes the same darkening but is used as an adjective before a noun, e.g. 'suntanned skin', not usually 'a suntanned complexion'.
- bronzed
- More approving and often suggests an attractive golden-brown color; 'tanned complexion' is more neutral and factual.
- glowing
- Focuses on brightness and health, not on darkness; a glowing complexion may not be tanned at all.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: tanned complexion or complexion?
tanned complexion vs complexion
Complexion means the natural color and condition of the skin, not just its darkness. A tanned complexion is a changed complexion.
Practice
Choose the best sentence:
Choose one answer.
The phrase is countable and usually takes 'a': a tanned complexion. Option 0 misses the article; option 2 uses 'the' when no specific one is meant; option 3 uses a plural that does not fit one person's skin.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “tanned complexion”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.