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A large, gray moth, which in contrast to the similar looking A. maximana, A. nigrolinea has darker gray forewings with large diffuse blackish markings and darker, more heavily mottled hindwings. Ground color dark gray, consisting of intermixed ochreous, white and white-tipped gray scales. Markings are defined as following: dark spot on lower fold near base rather elongate, a red-brown or orcheous elongate blotch through cell, separated from a red-brown spot at the end of the cell, both at times indistinct; a general dark grey shading in area of outer costal triangle, or frequently blackish forming median and sometimes submedian (Powell 1964). Wingspan is 22-27 mm (Powell and Oppler 2009). Labial palpus in males with a median blackish blotch on the exterior side (Powell 1964). Female genitalia in A. nigrolinea similar to A. maximana, but lamella antevagenalis less emarginate caudad, without lateral spines. Lateral arms of postvaginalis divergent and recurved. The male genitalia also share many similar features with A. maximana but differ by the elongated socii (Powell 1964).

In Canada, it is recorded from Alberta, British Colombia, New Brunswick, Ontario and Quebec. Alberta records range from Winfield, Rochon Sands Provincial Park, Buffalo Lake, Big Knife Provincial Park, Nevis, Erskine to Edmonton. In the United States records have been found from western to north eastern states (MPG 2019).

Acleris nigrolinea, A. disputabilis and A. maximana form a complex of morphologically similar species, not only by their primarily gray appearance but also by having a deeply emarginated saccular margin of the valva (Powell and Opler 2009).