vulnerable

adjective

vul·​ner·​a·​ble ˈvəl-n(ə-)rə-bəl 

ˈvəl-nər-bəl

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

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

Did you know?

The History of Vulnerable

Superheroes are often depicted in comic books and movies as all-powerful, deflecting boulders and missiles in mid-air with a flick of the wrist, walking through walls, and having indestructible skeletons and whatnot. Fans know, however, that even the mightiest, meatiest protagonist is vulnerable to something, be it kryptonite or forgetting the whereabouts of one’s hammer. Vulnerable ultimately comes from the Latin noun vulnus, meaning “wound,” by way of the Late Latin adjective vulnerabilis, which English speakers adopted as vulnerable in the early 1600s. Vulnerable continues to carry its original meaning of “capable of being physically wounded,” 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—even superheroes. So don’t go breaking their hearts, even if you can’t break their bones.

Synonyms

• susceptible
• sensitive
• exposed
• prone

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

In fact, the term itself was an epithet throughout the founding era, a way to describe ignorant and easily deceived popular majorities, perpetually vulnerable to demagogues. —Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025

The Jamaican government issued mandatory evacuation orders on Sunday for the most vulnerable coastal communities, per CNN. —Abigail Adams, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025

Food banks, pantries brace for impact Charitable organizations and the federal food benefits program are part of the safety net working to catch vulnerable families struggling to make ends meet and living paycheck to paycheck. —Nushrat Rahman, Freep.com, 27 Oct. 2025

Even a brief interruption of benefits will push all these economically vulnerable families and children into greater hardship during a time of rising food and economic insecurity. —Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Late Latin vulnerabilis, from Latin vulnerare to wound, from vulner-, vulnus wound; probably akin to Latin vellere to pluck, Greek oulē wound

First Known Use

circa 1616, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for vulnerable

• invulnerable

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Kids Definition

vulnerable

adjective

vul·​ner·​a·​ble ˈvəln-(ə-)rə-bəl 

ˈvəl-nər-bəl

1

: capable of being physically or emotionally wounded

2

: open to attack or damage

a vulnerable position

vulnerability

ˌvəln-(ə-)rə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

Medical Definition

vulnerable

adjective

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

: capable of being hurt : susceptible to injury or disease

the liver is itself vulnerable to nutritional impairment

—The Journal of the American Medical Association

vulnerability

ˌvəln-(ə-)rə-ˈbil-ət-ē 

noun

plural vulnerabilities