vulnerable

adjective

vul·ner·a·ble | \ ˈvəl-n(ə-)rə-bəl

, ˈvəl-nər-bəl\

Definition of vulnerable

1 : capable of being physically or emotionally wounded

2 : open to attack or damage : assailable vulnerable to criticism

3 : liable to increased penalties but entitled to increased bonuses after winning a game in contract bridge

Other Words from vulnerable Synonyms & Antonyms The History of Vulnerable More Example Sentences Learn More about vulnerable

Keep scrolling for more

Other Words from vulnerable

vulnerability \ ˌvəl-n(ə-)rə-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

vulnerableness \ ˈvəl-n(ə-)rə-bəl-nəs

, ˈvəl-nər-bəl- \ noun

vulnerably \ ˈvəl-n(ə-)rə-blē

, ˈvəl-nər-blē \ adverb

The History of Vulnerable

Vulnerable is ultimately derived from the Latin noun vulnus ("wound"). "Vulnus" led to the Latin verb vulnerare, meaning "to wound," and then to the Late Latin adjective vulnerabilis, which became "vulnerable" in English in the early 1600s. "Vulnerable" originally meant "capable of being physically wounded" or "having the power to wound" (the latter is now obsolete), but since the late 1600s, it has also been used figuratively to suggest a defenselessness against non-physical attacks. In other words, someone (or something) can be vulnerable to criticism or failure as well as to literal wounding. When it is used figuratively, "vulnerable" is often followed by the preposition "to."

Examples of vulnerable in a Sentence

He was very vulnerable after his divorce. The troops were in a vulnerable position. The fort was undefended and vulnerable.

Recent Examples on the Web

Most adults born before the 1960s were exposed to the virus as children and likely are not vulnerable to reinfection. — Mari A. Schaefer, https://www.inquirer.com, "How the record U.S. measles outbreak could affect your summer plans," 4 June 2019 Many more within corporate networks may also be vulnerable. — Dan Goodin, Ars Technica, "Microsoft practically begs Windows users to fix wormable BlueKeep flaw," 31 May 2019 For context, even though Nest was not breached, customers may be vulnerable because their email addresses and passwords are freely available on the internet. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "Google Warns Nest Users to Update Security Settings After Uptick of Hacked Cameras," 6 Feb. 2019 Now that such policies are reversing, stocks and corporate bonds are vulnerable—and so is the economy. — The Economist, "Even stockmarket bulls are more cautious than at the start of the year," 12 July 2018 Starting next month, employees of Japan’s National Institute of Information and Communications Technology will travel the country, trying to gain access to citizens’ most vulnerable electronics. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "Japan Is Going to Start Hacking Its Citizens," 29 Jan. 2019 This is where Drake gets to comfortably get into his feelings and speak his most vulnerable truth. — Scott Glaysher, Billboard, "Ranking Each Song From the B-Side of Drake's 'Scorpion' Album: Critic's Take," 30 June 2018 The fears of being vulnerable or bruising a partner’s ego can be high-key overwhelming. — Gigi Engle, SELF, "The Case for Telling Your Partner Exactly How You Want to Feel During Sex," 8 May 2019 No region is entirely safe from such attacks, but South Asian democracies such as India and Sri Lanka appear particularly vulnerable. — Sadanand Dhume, WSJ, "South Asia Is Islamic State’s New Target," 2 May 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'vulnerable.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about vulnerable

Listen to Our Podcast about vulnerable

Dictionary Entries near vulnerable

Statistics for vulnerable

Last Updated

8 Jun 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for vulnerable

The first known use of vulnerable was circa 1616

See more words from the same year

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for vulnerable

vulnerable

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of vulnerable

: easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally

: open to attack, harm, or damage

See the full definition for vulnerable in the English Language Learners Dictionary

vulnerable

adjective

vul·ner·a·ble | \ ˈvəl-nə-rə-bəl

Kids Definition of vulnerable

1 : capable of being easily hurt or injured The patient is vulnerable to infection.

2 : open to attack or damage The troops were in a vulnerable position.

vulnerable

adjective

vul·ner·a·ble | \ ˈvəln-(ə-)rə-bəl, ˈvəl-nər-bəl

Medical Definition of vulnerable

: capable of being hurt : susceptible to injury or disease the liver is itself vulnerable to nutritional impairment — Journal of the American Medical Association