AbstractAcridines play an important role in various fields of sciences. Besides their application for treatment of a number of infections, cancer, viral and prion diseases, they have been extensively used in chemiluminescence. Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a unique kind of chemiluminescence with the precise temporal and spatial control of light emitting reactions by utilizing electrochemistry techniques. These advantages result in increasing attention towards acridines ECL. This review summarizes acridines used in ECL, ECL mechanisms, strategies for increasing ECL intensities, and ECL analytical applications, as well as prospects the future development of acridine ECL.