susceptibility

noun sus·cep·ti·bil·i·ty \ sə-ˌsep-tə-ˈbi-lə-tē \

Updated on: 11 Apr 2018

plural susceptibilities

1 : the quality or state of being susceptible; especially : lack of ability to resist some extraneous agent (such as a pathogen or drug) : sensitivity

2 a : a susceptible temperament or constitution

b susceptibilities plural : feelings, sensibilities

3 a : the ratio of the magnetization in a substance to the corresponding magnetizing force

b : the ratio of the electric polarization to the electric intensity in a polarized dielectric

See susceptibility defined for English-language learners

See susceptibility defined for kids

Examples of susceptibility in a Sentence

A weak immune system causes increased susceptibility to disease.
his aunt's unfortunate susceptibility to viruses meant she was nearly always sick

Recent Examples of susceptibility from the Web

Frumkin also testified that sleep deprivation can contribute to a person's susceptibility to giving a false confession.

— gal tziperman lotan, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Noor Salman trial: Defense rests in trial of Pulse gunman Omar Mateen's widow," 27 Mar. 2018
The team then built mathematical models using the same data to assess how declining immunity might affect the susceptibility of the U.S. population.

— roni dengler, Science | AAAS, "Why so many college students are coming down with the mumps," 21 Mar. 2018
Michael Frayn's Noises Off takes a fond look at the follies of theatre folk, whose susceptibility to out-of-control egos, memory loss, and passionate affairs turn every performance into a high-risk adventure.

— geauga lyric theater guild, cleveland.com, "Last Weekend for Noises Off at Geauga Lyric Theater," 14 Aug. 2017
Sparsholt’s opacity, his resistance to easy categorization, his susceptibility to projection and fantasy are but extreme examples of what all Hollinghurst’s characters both exemplify themselves and seek to penetrate in others.

— priscilla gilman, BostonGlobe.com, "An English political scandal and gay lives over decades," 9 Mar. 2018
The market—while necessary in a free society—seemed to capture the fearsome whims of the mob, its irrationality, herd nature, and susceptibility to demagoguery in the form of advertising and P.R.

— eve fairbanks, The New Republic, "Buying In: How the Language of the Market Has Warped American Politics," 9 Mar. 2018
Passengers might enjoy the power, depending on their attention levels and susceptibility to carsickness.

— alexander stoklosa, Car and Driver, "Volkswagen's I.D. Vizzion Sedan Concept Identifies, Attempts to Codify Driverless Future," 6 Mar. 2018
Officials could ask, but not demand, while Pakistan’s nuclear arsenal limited its susceptibility to threats and sanctions.

— andrew j. bacevich, New York Times, "The War That Will Not End," 31 Jan. 2018
This would be especially helpful in older folks, because the strength of the immune system declines with age, increasing susceptibility to disease.

— bryant stamford, The Courier-Journal, "Why some health experts say intermittent fasting is the new and healthier dieting," 11 Jan. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'susceptibility.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of susceptibility

1644

susceptibility Synonyms

SUSCEPTIBILITY Defined for English Language Learners

susceptibility

noun

: the state of being easily affected, influenced, or harmed by something
susceptibilities : a person's feelings

Medical Dictionary

susceptibility

noun sus·cep·ti·bil·i·ty \ sə-ˌsep-tə-ˈbil-ət-ē \

plural susceptibilities

1 : the quality or state of being susceptible : the state of being predisposed to, sensitive to, or of lacking the ability to resist something (as a pathogen, familial disease, or a drug) : sensitivity

2 a : the ratio of the magnetization in a substance to the corresponding magnetizing force — see paramagnetic

b : the ratio of the electric polarization to the electric intensity in a polarized dielectric

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See words that rhyme with susceptibility Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for susceptibility Spanish Central: Translation of susceptibility Nglish: Translation of susceptibility for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of susceptibility for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about susceptibility

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