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 disease

unprotected sex

Synonyms

• 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

In addition to absorbing Highsmith’s $5.6 million expiring contract, the Nets acquired an unprotected 2032 second-round pick from Miami while sending a 2026 second-round pick, protected from No. 31 to No. 55, to the Heat, per the team. —C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 15 Aug. 2025

The Nuggets sent Porter to the Brooklyn Nets, along with an unprotected 2032 first-round draft pick, for Cam Johnson. —Corey Masisak, Denver Post, 14 Aug. 2025

One scenario that mid-tier teams, selecting in the late lottery stage, should look for is expensive teams giving up future picks, unprotected, in order to help their books immediately. —Morten Stig Jensen, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025

Ultimately, Edward’s new widow Queen Elizabeth (Gabriella Goldstein) is forced to witness Richard’s searing cruelty as Edward’s death ensures the queen and her sons are now an unprotected target. —David John Chávez, Mercury News, 30 July 2025

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