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unprotected

adjective

un·​pro·​tect·​ed ˌən-prə-ˈtek-təd How to pronounce unprotected (audio)
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

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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
My Esther, who was unprotected, is also devoted to protecting the family who takes her in. Literary Hub, 24 Nov. 2025 The bulletin also provided radar data confirming a maximum hail size of 1 inch and wind gusts below 50 mph, noting that impacts may include damage to vehicles and potential risks to people unprotected outdoors. Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025 When things slow down in the fall and the leaves stop producing chlorophyll, the leaf is left without that protection and those pesky photons are left to do their worst to the unprotected leaves. Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 14 Nov. 2025 Measles is highly contagious, and a drop in childhood vaccination rates in Canada and in other countries has left many children unprotected from the disease. Kathryn H. Jacobsen, The Conversation, 10 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for unprotected

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of unprotected was in 1597

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Cite this Entry

“Unprotected.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/unprotected. Accessed 28 Nov. 2025.

Kids Definition

unprotected

adjective
un·​pro·​tect·​ed ˌən-prə-ˈtek-təd How to pronounce unprotected (audio)
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 How to pronounce unprotected (audio)
: not protected
especially : performed without measures to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease
unprotected sexual intercourse

More from Merriam-Webster on unprotected

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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