unprotected

adjective

un·​pro·​tect·​ed ˌən-prə-ˈtek-təd 

1

: lacking protection or defense

unprotected troops

skin unprotected from the sun's rays

2

: performed without the use of birth control to prevent pregnancy

also : performed without the use of a condom to prevent spread of sexually transmitted infection

unprotected sex

Synonyms of unprotected

• vulnerable
• susceptible
• helpless

Examples of unprotected in a Sentence

They're planning to build roads over thousands of acres of unprotected land.

If your computer is unprotected, you're likely to get a virus.

Recent Examples on the Web

The installations at the 500 delis were completed in April, but the city has not committed any additional funds towards equipping the thousands of bodegas that remain unprotected, Mateo said. — Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 7 Aug. 2026

How to see the eclipse Never look directly at the sun with unprotected eyes. — Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 6 Aug. 2026

For those worried that hot courses like steaks or bowlfuls of soup can harm their unprotected unmentionables, Ali says all guests should exercise common sense and use their lap towel. — Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 1 Aug. 2026

Those aren’t the statistics of a player who’s worth trading away an unprotected first-rounder. — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 21 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for unprotected

• disaffected
• disconnected
• disinfected
• interjected
• intersected
• misdirected
• preselected
• recollected
• reconnected
• redirected
• reelected
• resurrected

Kids Definition

unprotected

adjective

un·​pro·​tect·​ed ˌən-prə-ˈtek-təd 

1

: lacking protection or defense

unprotected troops

skin unprotected from the sun's rays

2

: performed without the use of birth control to prevent pregnancy

also : performed without the use of a condom to prevent the spread of a sexually transmitted disease

unprotected sex

Medical Definition

unprotected

adjective

un·​pro·​tect·​ed -prə-ˈtek-təd 

: not protected

especially : performed without measures to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease

unprotected sexual intercourse