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
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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 of vulnerable from the Web
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The memories are coming at him now, striking him in soft and vulnerable spots, and LaVall Jordan is no longer seeing the empty walls of his office at Butler.
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With the era’s end, living standards collapsed and with them the approval ratings of leaders, who suddenly looked vulnerable.
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Children are especially vulnerable because of their small size.
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The most vulnerable and inexperienced drivers usually take the most risks.
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Yet the small home remains as vulnerable as ever, a reality reflected by its falling value in recent years.
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Yet the small home remains as vulnerable as ever, a reality reflected by its falling value in recent years.
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The lenses in children’s eyes are clear and thus more vulnerable to light.
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According to the AFSP, mentioning method, sensationalizing headlines, even including a photograph or video of the location or make-shift memorials can trigger suicidal feelings in those who are vulnerable.
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.
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."
Origin and Etymology of vulnerable
Late Latin vulnerabilis, from Latin vulnerare to wound, from vulner-, vulnus wound; probably akin to Latin vellere to pluck, Greek oulē wound
VULNERABLE Defined for English Language Learners
vulnerable
playDefinition of vulnerable for English Language Learners
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: easily hurt or harmed physically, mentally, or emotionally
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: open to attack, harm, or damage
VULNERABLE Defined for Kids
vulnerable
playDefinition of vulnerable for Students
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.
Medical Dictionary
vulnerable
playMedical 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
Learn More about vulnerable
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Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for vulnerable Spanish Central: Translation of vulnerable Nglish: Translation of vulnerable for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of vulnerable for Arabic speakers
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