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

Instead, experts say that upping the number of shots increases injection pain, leaves children unprotected longer and lowers overall vaccination rates. — Finch Walker, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026

They were discontinued because the ACIP and the American Academy of Pediatrics held that separate shots would mean more needles, more appointments and children left unprotected for longer. — Jake Scott, The Conversation, 12 Aug. 2026

Busch says that the school's current response to the abuse is insufficient for the victims who were left unprotected. — Brittney Melton, NPR, 10 Aug. 2026

And the unprotected are more often poor and majority-minority communities. — Michael Phillis, Fortune, 8 Aug. 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