The complex functions of adipose tissue have been a focus of research interest over the past twenty years. Adipose tissue is not only the main energy storage depot, but also one of the largest endocrine organs in the body and carries out crucial metabolic functions. Moreover, brown and beige adipose depots are major sites of energy expenditure through the activation of adaptive, non-shivering thermogenesis. In recent years, numerous signaling molecules and pathways have emerged as critical regulators of adipose tissue, in both homeostasis and obesity-related disease. Among the best characterized are members of the p38 kinase family. The activity of these kinases has emerged as a key contributor to the biology of the white and brown adipose tissues, and their modulation could provide new therapeutic approaches against obesity. Here, we give an overview of the roles of the distinct p38 family members in adipose tissue, focusing on their actions in adipogenesis, thermogenic activity, and secretory function. ML was supported by a Spanish grant MINECO-FEDERSAF2015- 74112-JIN and Fundación AECC: INVES20026LEIV. MP was a fellow of the Spanish State programme for the Promotion of Talent and its Employment (PRE2018-083631). IN was funded by the EFSD/Lilly grants (2017 and 2019), the CNIC IPP FP7 Marie Curie Programme (PCOFUND-2012-600396), an EFSD Rising Star award (2019), and the JDC-2018-Incorporación (MIN/JDC1802). GS received funding from the following programs and organizations: European Union Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under grant agreement n° ERC 260464, the EFSD/Lilly European Diabetes Research Programme, the BBVA Foundation Leonardo Grants program for Researchers and Cultural Creators (Investigadores-BBVA-2017) IN[17]_BBM_BAS_0066, MINECO-FEDER SAF2016-79126-R, and the Comunidad de Madrid (IMMUNOTHERCAN-CM S2010/BMD-2326 and B2017/BMD-3733). The CNIC is supported by the Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), the Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (MCNU), and the Pro CNIC Foundation and is a Severo Ochoa Center of Excellence (SEV-2015-0505). Sí