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

Charlotte received a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, first-round pick swaps from 2028-30 and second-round picks in 2029, 2032 and 2033 in the deal — a haul of assets that’s undoubtedly better than what the Dallas Mavericks got for sending Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers. — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 26 June 2026

On all four platforms, the SecureLine VPN offers a kill switch to prevent accidental transmission of unprotected data if the VPN connection drops. — Neil J. Rubenking, PC Magazine, 24 June 2026

If your cat or dog is outdoors and unprotected, fleas hitch a ride and come indoors with them. — Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 23 June 2026

The Celtics’ final offer to the Bucks included 29-year-old five-time NBA All-Star Jaylen Brown and two unprotected first-round picks, according to Charania. — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 23 June 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