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

According to the San Diego Bird Alliance, the western snowy plover lays its eggs in loose sand with little cover along the Pacific coastline, leaving its nest largely unprotected from high tides and weather. —Caleb Lunetta, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026

Frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin is exposed to these temperatures. —Nc Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 7 Feb. 2026

Doctors worry in particular about unprotected young children, for whom severe complications — pneumonia, brain swelling and blindness — are more common. —CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026

Declining vaccination rates have left approximately 300,000 kindergarteners unprotected from measles infection. —Youri Benadjaoud, ABC News, 6 Feb. 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