susceptible

adjective sus·cep·ti·ble \ sə-ˈsep-tə-bəl \

Updated on: 12 Apr 2018

Definition of susceptible

1 : capable of submitting to an action, process, or operation

a theory susceptible to proof

2 : open, subject, or unresistant to some stimulus, influence, or agency

susceptible to pneumonia

3 : impressionable, responsive

a susceptible mind

—

susceptibleness

noun

—

susceptibly

play \sə-ˈsep-tə-blē\ adverb

See susceptible defined for English-language learners

See susceptible defined for kids

Examples of susceptible in a Sentence

Researchers at the University of South Carolina say that a chemical found abundantly in red wine, apples and onions helps protect against influenza, especially after a rigorous respiratory workout, when the body is more susceptible to infection. —Kim Marcus et al., Wine Spectator, 31 May 2009
Women were especially susceptible to his … charm, and he maintained dozens of relationships simultaneously. When he was finally being tried for his crimes, 20 women sat together in the courthouse's public galleries, weeping: mistresses, lovers and admirers, all convinced of Unterweger's innocence. —Robert MacFarlane, New York Times Book Review, 13 Jan. 2008
He grew up during the heyday of the Hegelian philosophy, which sought to explain all things in terms of historical development, but conceived this process as being ultimately not susceptible to the methods of empirical investigation. —Isaiah Berlin, The Hedgehog and the Fox, (1953) 1978
The virus can infect susceptible individuals.
some people are more susceptible to depression during the winter because of reduced exposure to sunlight

Recent Examples of susceptible from the Web

The airplane has a flattened appearance, with built-in angles that make the aircraft less susceptible to radar.

— kyle mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "Is This China’s Stealth Bomber?," 9 Apr. 2018
Full disclosure: This critic is a dog person, which makes him especially susceptible to a handcrafted stop-motion fable about cast-off canines in a grim day-after-tomorrow Japan.

— ty burr, BostonGlobe.com, "Canines (and kids) to the rescue in ‘Isle of Dogs’," 26 Mar. 2018
The enthusiasm to defend those triggering libs makes the Free Speech Grifters uniquely susceptible to right-wing propagandists.

— mari uyehara, GQ, "The Free Speech Grifters," 19 Mar. 2018
And such marriages make the children more susceptible to certain diseases handed down through their parents' DNA.

— enrique flor, miamiherald, "It's OK for cousins to marry, just don't make it a family practice | Miami Herald," 8 Mar. 2018
Family history of panic disorder also makes someone more susceptible.

— CBS News, "Basketball star Kevin Love opens up about panic attacks," 6 Mar. 2018
The system could, of course, also be used by passengers who feel sick in cars with a driver at the wheel—a fate to which children seem particularly susceptible, for reasons that remain obscure.

— The Economist, "The upchuck wagonPreventing passengers in autonomous cars from feeling queasy," 1 Feb. 2018
Weakened immune systems also make people more susceptible, according to the CDC.

— alex stuckey, Houston Chronicle, "Texas woman's death from eating raw oysters rare, not exactly flesh-eating bacteria," 9 Jan. 2018
One of the reasons that Leicester struggled last season (the season after the league win) was due to teams giving them more respect, and not taking the chance of being susceptible to the pace that Leicester have on the counter-attack.

— SI.com, "FanView: Leicester Are in a Transition Period Under Claude Puel and Fans Need to Be Patient," 22 Mar. 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of susceptible

Late Latin susceptibilis, from Latin susceptus, past participle of suscipere to take up, admit, from sub-, sus- up + capere to take — more at sub-, heave

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1605

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

susceptible Synonyms

Phrases

in the lurch;

Synonym Discussion of susceptible

liable, open, exposed, subject, prone, susceptible, sensitive mean being by nature or through circumstances likely to experience something adverse. liable implies a possibility or probability of incurring something because of position, nature, or particular situation.

- liable to get lost

open stresses a lack of barriers preventing incurrence.

- a claim open to question

exposed suggests lack of protection or powers of resistance against something actually present or threatening.

- exposed to infection

subject implies an openness for any reason to something that must be suffered or undergone.

- all reports are subject to review

prone stresses natural tendency or propensity to incur something.

- prone to delay

susceptible implies conditions existing in one's nature or individual constitution that make incurrence probable.

- very susceptible to flattery

sensitive implies a readiness to respond to or be influenced by forces or stimuli.

- unduly sensitive to criticism

SUSCEPTIBLE Defined for English Language Learners

susceptible

adjective

Definition of susceptible for English Language Learners

: easily affected, influenced, or harmed by something
: capable of being affected by a specified action or process

SUSCEPTIBLE Defined for Kids

susceptible

adjective sus·cep·ti·ble \ sə-ˈsep-tə-bəl \

Definition of susceptible for Students

1 : of such a nature as to permit

The words are susceptible of being misunderstood.

2 : having little resistance (as to infection or damage)

I am susceptible to colds.

3 : easily affected or impressed by

You're so susceptible to flattery.

Medical Dictionary

susceptible

adjective sus·cep·ti·ble \ sə-ˈsep-tə-bəl \

medical Definition of susceptible

1 : having little resistance to a specific infectious disease : capable of being infected

2 : predisposed to develop a noninfectious disease

susceptible to diabetes

3 : abnormally reactive to various drugs

susceptible

noun

medical Definition of susceptible

: one that is susceptible (as to a disease)

vaccinate all susceptibles in each region where outbreaks appeared
—A. J. Bollet

Learn More about susceptible

See words that rhyme with susceptible Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for susceptible Spanish Central: Translation of susceptible Nglish: Translation of susceptible for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of susceptible for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up susceptible? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

susceptible

Definition of susceptible

susceptibleness

susceptibly

Examples of susceptible in a Sentence

Recent Examples of susceptible from the Web

Origin and Etymology of susceptible

susceptible Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Phrases

Synonym Discussion of susceptible

SUSCEPTIBLE Defined for English Language Learners

susceptible

Definition of susceptible for English Language Learners

SUSCEPTIBLE Defined for Kids

susceptible

Definition of susceptible for Students

Medical Dictionary

susceptible

medical Definition of susceptible

susceptible

medical Definition of susceptible

Learn More about susceptible

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

'Complement' vs. 'Compliment'

Trending: HRC: Media Opened Door to 'Charlatans'

Going Greek: 7 Words from the Greek Alphabet

Odd Habits and Quirks Quiz

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes